X-Men fall to Tigers in AUS hockey action

Photo courtesy Dalhousie Athletics
Photo courtesy Dalhousie Athletics

Halifax, NS - The Dalhousie Tigers stunned the StFX X-Men Friday night at the Halifax Forum, winning 3-2 as the StFX X-Men's rally from a three-goal deficit fell short.

Despite being outshot 40-17, Corbin Boes (Saskatoon, SK) came up huge for the Tigers with 38 saves to steal the victory. Fabian Walsh led the way offensively for the Tigers with two goals, including the eventual game winner early in the third period.

The Tigers led 1-0 after the first period on a goal from Fabian Walsh (Gloucester, ON). Brendan Duke (Cole Harbour, NS) and Pierre Vandall (St. Louis de France, QC) drew the assists at 9:50.

Andrew Wigginton (Sackville, NS) doubled the Dalhousie lead at 15:19 of the second period. Ben MacAskill (Aulds Cove, NS) and Mitch O'Neill (Glace Bay, NS) garnered assists on the marker.

The Tigers made it 3-0 at 4:58 of the third period when Walsh scored for the second time, on an assist from Colton Parsons (Kingston, NS).

At 6:28, Jagger Dirk (Penticton, BC) started the X-Men rally as he fired a big shot past Boes while on the power play, on assists from Michael Kirkpatrick (North Sydney, NS) and Rob Slaney (Conception Bay, NL).

Eric Locke (Toronto, ON), also on the power play, cut the Tiger lead to 3-2 as Dirk and Slaney assisted on the second StFX goal.

The X-Men pulled goaltender Drew Owsley (Lethbridge, AB) with just under a minute left to try to score the equalizer. Despite a flurry of chances in the dying seconds, Boes turned them away, including a lightning-quick glove save with ten seconds left.

Boes made 38 saves for the win for Dalhousie, while Owsley turned aside 14 shots in the loss for the X-Men.

StFX outshot Dalhousie 30-9 in the final two periods, including 17-3 in the final 20 minutes.

The X-Men (11-6-1) return to action Saturday, Jan. 10, when they host the Acadia Axemen (14-3-1) at the Keating Centre in Antigonish. On the same night, the Tigers (5-12-1) will host their cross-town rival Saint Mary's Huskies (12-5-1).

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

-30-