X-Men drop close 7-5 game to Panthers

Antigonish, NS - The U SPORTS No. 9 ranked UPEI Panthers dropped the STFX X Men 7-5 at the Keating Centre on Wednesday evening.

Matthew Philip (Ilderton, ON) got things going for the X-Men about midway through the first period, blocking a shot at his own blueline then streaking in alone before putting home a backhand.

It was a quick paced first period, with plenty of hits and the high powered STFX offence pushing for chances. It was also a clean period, with only one penalty with 11 seconds left. Both teams had big chances near the end of the period but Panthers goalie Jonah Capriotti (Charlottetown, PE) and STFX's Joseph Raaymakers (Chatham, ON) were up to the task and kept the score at 1-0 going into the dressing room.

Shots at the end of the period were 19-9 in favour of X.

The late penalty for the X-Men proved costly as Matt Brassard (Barrie, ON) tied the game 14 seconds into the period, with assists going to Kyle Maksimovitch (Oakville, ON) and Carson MacKinnon (Summerside, PE). The game didn't stay tied for long though, with TJ Shea  (Tignish, PE) holding the puck on an odd-man rush and burying a low shot from the slot less than two minutes later.

Declan Smith (Antigonish, NS) brought X back to life at 13:28, breaking in alone off a pass from Zack Trott (Mulmur, ON), and burying a high backhand. However, the Panthers quickly retook the lead, with Brassard scoring his second of the game.

UPEI doubled their lead with four minutes left to play, with Maksimovitch knocking one home off a pass from Shea. Less than two minutes later, Jacob Hudson (Antigonish, NS) added his fifth goal of the season on the powerplay, off a pass from Matthew Struthers (Milton, ON) and Liam Hawel (Arnprior, ON). Shots at the end of the period were 32-29 in favour of the X-Men.

An early powerplay goal got things rolling in the third for UPEI, with Troy Lajeunesse (Sturgeon Falls, ON) bringing the Panthers' lead back up to two with 36 seconds gone.

STFX was next on the scoreboard, with Logan Chisholm (Antigonish, NS) potting one off assists from Trott and Smith four minutes later. Lajeunesse added another to move the Panthers lead about midway through the period, with Shea and Maksimovich assisting, but X answered back a few minutes later, with Chisholm adding his second goal of the game.

The X-Men tried their best to tie the game up, but Maksimovich added a short-handed empty netter with eight seconds left, losing out the scoring. Shots at the end of the game were 46-36 in favour of X. 

Panthers forward Shea earned Subway player of the game and first star honours for his efforts. STFX's Chisholm was the second star and Panthers Maksimovitch was third star of the game.

The X-Men are on the road on Friday to take on the Dalhousie Tigers. The Panthers are Home to Dalhousie on Saturday night in Charlottetown.

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Recap courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Athletics