Huskies edge X-Men

Antigonish, N.S. - The Saint Mary's Huskies (15-7-2) skated to a 4-2 win over the CIS #7 ranked StFX X-Men (15-6-3) Sunday afternoon in AUS hockey action at the Keating Centre. 

The match-up between the perennial rivals was re-scheduled from Saturday night, due to the effects of a winter storm that swept across the province.

In the opening period, the Huskies garnered the first quality scoring opportunity when Gerrad Grant (Halifax, NS) completed a nifty passing play with a wrist shot from the slot, but Drew Owsley (Lethbridge, AB) made the save on the power play chance.

Moments later, Mitchell Maynard (Cole Harbour, NS) got in tight, but Owlsey thwarted his backhand attempt.

At 8:58, the X-Men drew first blood on a stellar individual effort from freshman forward Mark Tremaine (Dartmouth, NS), who collected an unassisted, short-handed marker. After knocking defenseman Jamie Doornbosch (Richmond Hill, ON) off the puck behind the Saint Mary's net, he skated in front and beat goaltender Cole Cheveldave (Calgary, AB) with a short-side shot.

Less than two minutes later, the X-Men thought they had doubled their advantage when a floating point-shot from Trey Lewis (Aldouane, NB) found the top corner, but the goal was waved off because the referees determined Zack MacQueen (Woodstock, ON) struck the puck with a high stick.

On their third power play of the period - a double minor - the Huskies scored with one second remaining in the four-minute man-advantage, when Calder Brooks (Emerald Place, SK), who was parked at the top of the crease, deflected a Doornbosch point shot behind Owsley.

The Huskies almost took their first lead when Bradley Greene (Tilting, NF) got a hard shot away from the slot off a Stephen MacAulay (Cole Harbour, NS) centering pass, but Owsley made the stop.

Earlier in the second period, the same Saint Mary's combo tested Owsley, who made an acrobatic stretch to make a glove save on a low snap shot from Greene.

The X-Men generated their first scoring opportunity of the middle frame when defenseman Bronson Maschmeyer (Bruderheim, AB) joined the rush, but Cheveldave made the save.

At 4:48, off an X-Men turnover in their own zone, Matt Tipoff (Toronto, ON) bested Owsley with a low hard shot. Doornbosch collected the lone assist.

The Huskies doubled their edge just 39 seconds later, with Taylor Burke (Halifax, NS) capitalizing on a feed from Brooks to make it 3-1.

In the latter half of the second period, the Huskies had chances to extend their lead on a pair of power plays, but Owsley kept the X-Men within striking distance. He also turned aside MacAulay on a short-handed opportunity.

After taking a cross-ice pass, freshman Nathan Pancel (Ottawa, ON) got a one-timer away, but Cheveldave maintained the visitors two-goal lead, which they took to the second intermission.

Early in the third period, on the power play, Kristoff Kontos (Penetanguishene, ON) sent his line-mate Eric Locke (Toronto, ON) in alone on Cheveldave, but the sophomore forward missed the net with his hard shot.

On a breakaway chance for the Huskies, Owsley made a blocker save on Michael Curtis (Georgetown, ON) a short time later.

While shorthanded, Tremaine had a golden opportunity for his second goal of the game, when he took a feed from Stephen Kuhn (Oyen, AB), but Cheveldave was equal to the task.

With less than three minutes remaining, and Owsley on the bench for an extra attacker, Maschmeyer shot a bullet off the goal post as Michael Clarke (London, ON) screened Cheveldave.

At 19:34, the X-Men sliced the Huskies' lead in half when Clarke, who was stationed on the lip of the crease, pushed a puck behind Cheveldave. Pancel garnered an assist on the marker.

Off the ensuing face-off, with the X-Men attempting a dump-in to get the equalizer, the puck took a Saint Mary's bounce, with MacAulay breaking in alone and depositing an insurance marker into an empty net. The unassisted tally came at 19:46.

The Subway player of the game and first star was Brooks, while Burke and Tremaine collected second and third stars, respectively.

Cheveldave made 15 saves for the win, while Owsley turned aside 23 shots in the loss.

Both teams return to action Friday, Feb. 5, with the X-Men hosting the Universite de Moncton Aigles Bleus, while the Huskies will travel to Fredericton to face the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds.

Puck drop for both tilts is scheduled for 7 p.m.

-30-