Canning scores two and adds another in shootout as X-Men beat Huskies

ANTIGONISH, NS - Lucas Canning's shootout goal - his third of the evening - capped off tremendous evening of hockey as the STFX X-Men defeated the Saint Mary's Huskies 4-3 on Friday night at the Charles V Keating Centre. 

Ryan MacGuire and Aaron Brown also scored in the shootout for the X-Men, who moved ahead of the Huskies in the AUS standings with the win. Reid Valade tallied once for SMU in the shootout. 

Canning earned Gabriel Pizza Player of the Game honors for his highlight-filled night, while STFX netminder Patrick Leaver and Saint Mary's goalie Ben West were the second and third stars respectively, with Leaver making 28 stops in the win and West turning aside 51 as the X-Men fired 54 shots his way.  

The Huskies put the X-Men on their heels early in the first period, with Matt Olsen finding the back of the net with a shot through traffic off a pass from Davis Cooper and Will Chisholm. 

Matt Cato tied things up for the Blue and White early in the second period, snapping in a shot from down low after a pass from Logan O'Neil. 

Huskies forward Ben Boyd made it 2-1 three minutes later with an unassisted powerplay marker.

The fast and physical play continued as both teams had no problem finishing their checks. Antonio Pugliese smacked one off the post three minutes before the buzzer, but the Huskies still carried the lead into second intermission. 

The third period opened with the teams playing 4-on-4, which quickly turned into a powerplay for STFX, and Canning took advantage with a one-timer after a great passing play from Charlie Callahan and McGuire. 

Ryan Hopkins scored with six minutes to go, stuffing home a chance from in tight after some extended pressure from the Huskies to regain the lead.

STFX pulled Leaver for the extra attacker, and it was Canning again who came up big with a low point shot after a feed from Raegan Wiles to send things to overtime. 

Huskies forward Ben Allison hit the post on a breakaway early in the extra period, with Canning hitting another at the opposite end a minute later as the thrills kept coming, but it was still a draw after OT, setting up the shootout finish.

The X-Men are back in action Saturday night, November 22^nd when they host the Acadia Axemen. Saint Mary's returns home ice to host the Dalhousie Tigers, also tomorrow night.  Puck drop for both matches is 7:00 pm.

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Recap courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Athletics