X-Men drop close game to Reds

Antigonish, NS - The U SPORTS No. 4 ranked UNB Reds won their fourth game in a row, handing the STFX X-Men a 5-2 loss on Saturday night at the Keating Centre in Antigonish.

Jason Willms (Kitchener, ON) scored the game winner 12 minutes into the third period to break a 2-2 deadlock between the conference rivals then the Reds added a couple empty net goals in the win.

STFX thought they lit the lamp early in the first period, but the goal was disallowed on a delayed offside call. It was indeed the Reds who were first on the board officially, with Austen Keating (Guelph, ON) creating a turnover in the X zone and sliding one home with just over six minutes played.

The Reds were flying tin the first, barring the X-Men from registering an official shot for the first 15 minutes of the game, and allowing only two for the period. Joseph Raaymakers (Chatham, ON) stood tough in the X net, turning aside all but one of the 21 shots he faced.

STFX came out looking to redeem themselves in the second, and were rewarded with a powerplay goal, coming off the stick of Matthew Struthers (Milton, ON). Struthers again found the back of the net, a few minutes later, while the teams were playing four on four, off a pass from Patrick Kyte (Pembroke, ON).

UNB tied things up with about seven minutes gone in the period, with Benjamin Corbeil (Granby, QC) scoring a powerplay marker, from Kade Landry (Gowanstown, ON).

Later, Raaymakers again came up big for the home team, as did the X-Men penalty kill, skating away from a two-minute, two-player disadvantage unscathed. Shots at the end of the second were 39-11 in favour of the Reds. 

UNB came out tough again in the third, but the STFX defence stood tall until the 12:08 mark when the Reds captain Willms broke the deadlock.

Corbiel added a shorthanded empty netter with 1:33 to play, with Macauley Carson (Midhurst, ON)  potting the second empty net goal to seal the deal for the Reds, who improve to 5-2 on the season.

Samuel Richard (Ste Catherine, QC) made 13 saves for the win in the Reds net, while the game's second star Raaymakers had 50 saves in the loss for the X-Men.

Willms earned first star and Subway player of the game honours with Corbeil taking home third star recognition.

The X-Men next hit the ice on Friday, when they visit Halifax to take on the Saint Mary's Huskies, then return home on November 9 for a match up with UPEI.

UNB's next match up is November 2, when they will tangle with provincial rival Moncton.

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Recap by Matt Draper, STFX Sports Information

STFX Athletics welcomed former X-Men goalie and conference all-star, Fred Cuvelier for a ceremonial puck-drop prior to the game. In 1977, the first team AUAA all-star team was entirely made up of X-Men Hockey players - all three forwards, both defensemen and, of course, Fred Cuvelier in goal.