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Mangan Hero Again as X-Men Triumph

Mangan Hero Again as X-Men Triumph
March 13, 2011

Courtesy Glenn MacDonald, The Chronicle Herald

For the second time in five days, Phil Mangan is the double overtime hero for the St. Francis Xavier X-Men.

The third-year forward fired the puck off a face-off deep in the UNB end that eluded goalie Travis Fullerton 2:42 into the second overtime as St. F.X. edged the UNB Varsity Reds 2-1 in Game 2 of the Atlantic Universities Hockey Conference championship final Saturday night in Fredericton.

"It happened so quickly it caught everyone by surprise, including Fullerton," St. F.X. head coach Brad Peddle said.

The best-of-five series is tied 1-1 and heads to Antigonish for Games 3 and 4, Tuesday and Wednesday nights. UNB won Game 1 in overtime, a 3-2 decision Friday night.

Last Tuesday, Mangan scored the winner 50 seconds into double overtime in the fifth and deciding game of an AUHC semifinal against the defending CIS champion Saint Mary’s Huskies.

"He’s clutch for sure," Peddle said of Mangan. "He has had a tremendous playoffs for us. Obviously a big part of our team and our success throughout the regular season. He’s a leader for us as well but in the playoffs he has really stepped up. He’s playing great two ways, especially defensively for us, and getting some timely goals. He’s making the most of his opportunities and he’s leading by example. He wants to win."

After a scoreless first and second period, St. F.X. blue-liner Spencer McAvoy got the game’s first goal 6:44 into the third. Kyle Bailey knotted it at 1-all for UNB with 4:52 left.

Joseph Perricone, like he has been throughout the playoffs, was stellar in the St. F.X. goal. He made 34 saves.

"Both games up here, one overtime loss and an overtime win, in a tough building, that’s playoff hockey at its best," Peddle said. "We came up here hoping to get a split in this rink. We’re happy with the win and we’ll enjoy it on the way home. But then the focus will turn to Tuesday and Wednesday because we know both of those games are going to be just as tough as the two (in Fredericton)."