Moncton, NB – The StFX X-Men held on for a 3-2 victory Saturday night over the Aigles Bleus de Moncton, improving to 13-7-1 on the season.
StFX got out to a 3-0 lead after two periods of play. Fourth year forward Michael Kirkpatrick from North Sydney, NS was in on the scoring of all three goals.
Blake Gal opened the scoring for the blue and white with a first period power play goal at 14:53. Kirkpatrick and Jarrad Struthers assisted as the X-Men outshot the Aigles Bleus 15-6 in the opening frame.
Kirkpatrick notched the second power goal of the game for StFX 7:16 into the second period as Struthers picked up his second assist on the night.
Kirkpatrick then set up Craig Duininck with a nice pass across the slot for the X-Men's third goal, coming at 15:29 of the middle period. Gal also assisted.
The Aigles Bleus got on the board with just over two minutes left in the second as Alex Saulnier tallied from Victor Beaulac and Allain Saulnier.
Shots in the second period favored the X-Men at 13-7.
The home team Aigles Bleus turned on the heat in the third period, starting with a goal by Steve Lebel at 2:58 from Danny Chiasson and Pier-Antoine Dion.
They had several good scoring chances and outshot the X-Men 18-4 in the final period, but StFX netminder Drew Owsley came up with some key saves, halting the Aigles Bleus from tying the game.
Owsley ended with 29 saves on goal for the win as the X-Men held a 32-21 edge in shots.
Brandon Thibeau, also with 29 saves, took the loss for Moncton, who drop to 7-12-2 on the season.
Kirkpatrick earned Subway player of the game honors for his three-point performance.
The Aigles Bleus next see action on the road as they travel to Wolfville, NS to meet the second place Acadia Axemen on Friday, January 23rd.
The X-Men will host the seventh place Dalhousie Tigers this coming Wednesday, January 21st in a 7:00 pm game at the Charles V. Keating Centre.
The last time the Tigers and X-Men met, Dalhousie skated to a 3-2 win in Halifax.