SMU wraps up AUS final with StFX
Courtesy Willy Palov, the Chronicle Herald

The Saint Mary’s Huskies will get their chance at redemption.

One year after a stunning collapse at the nationals, the Huskies are going back to the CIS championship tournament as defending AUS hockey champions. The Huskies beat the St. Francis Xavier X-Men 5-3 in front of 3,896 fans at the Halifax Forum on Monday to wrap up a 3-0 sweep in the best-of-five league championship series.

"It feels sweet," said Huskies forward Colby Pridham, the playoff MVP. "It doesn’t matter how many times you do it, every time’s just a little bit different and feels just as good."

"We haven’t really talked about (nationals) a whole lot yet because we knew X was a tough opponent and we weren’t looking too far ahead," Pridham added. "I know for me, I’ve really been wanting a chance to get back there."

Pridham scored the decisive goal 32 seconds into the third period. The second-year centre snapped a shot to X goalie Bryan Gillis’s blocker side to break a 3-3 tie and put the Huskies ahead for good. Mike Danton iced the win with an empty-net goal with 1:18 remaining.

"I think I got lucky," said Danton. "It caught a nice bounce and went in. But that felt good to (clinch it).

"The outlook going up (to nationals) is we’re playing well and last year is last year. It’s in the past. Every game we’re playing better and we just take it one game at a time. Right now, tonight’s game is over with and we look forward to Game 1 at nationals."

StFX’s Brett Morrison and SMU’s Cody Thornton traded first-period goals to make it 1-1 after 20 minutes. Pridham and Danton put SMU ahead with back-to-back goals in the first 1:05 of the second period. Ryan Sparling and Brett Robertson answered for the X-Men later in the period to set the stage for the dramatic finish in the third. But Pridham pounced on a loose puck in the slot and scored the goal that stopped the X comeback in its tracks

"It’s tough," said X coach Brad Peddle. "But I like the fight in this group. They got up 3-1 and we weren’t about to lay down. We tied it up in the second and made a game of it but then they got that early one in the third. We pressed and we had some chances to tie it up but they capitalized with the empty net."

Neil Conway made 29 saves for the Huskies and Gillis stopped 34 shots for the X-Men.

Despite the finals loss, the X-Men took plenty of positives from their season. The high was a three-game sweep of the powerhouse UNB Varsity Reds in the semifinals.

"I think in a nutshell, we’re all disappointed not to win a game in the series because the games were close enough we could’ve won at least two of them with another bounce our way," Peddle said. "But I think the playoffs overall, I’m very proud of that group. No one gave us much of a chance. (People) said we were too young or we were this or that. … but we knew once we got our legs going and some guys adjusted to playoff hockey at the AUS level, we’d be fine. What was real rewarding was to see the group come together at the right time, young or not. "

The next stop for the Huskies is the University Cup in Thunder Bay, Ont., March 25-28. The sweep against the X-Men gives them extra time to rest and prepare.

"We’ve got some bumps and bruises so we need that extra time to heal," said Danton. "We’re going to use that to our advantage and I’m sure Stieny will give us a day off – although maybe not – and then we’ll get right back to the grind."