The StFX X-Men opened the Subway AUS quarterfinals with a 3-0 loss to the Moncton Aigles Bleus Thursday night in New Brunswick. The two teams played scoreless hockey up until 7:58 of the third period when Eric Faille gave the home team Aigles Bleus the advantage.
When playoffs start it indicates a whole new season, and both teams were minimizing any mistakes they may have made in the regular season early in this game. Both X-Men head coach Brad Peddle and Aigles Bleus head coach Serge Bourgeois commented beforehand that it would be a very close, tight checking series and their word held true Thursday night.
Goaltenders Joey Perricone for the X-Men and Pierre-Alexandre Marion for the Aigles Bleus played solid hockey in the first frame turning aside every shot that came their way as the game was scoreless after one period. The X-Men held the edge in shots at 12-10 after 20 minutes.
The second period was much of the same, as both teams were unable to find the back of the net. The shots were virtually identical as well, as the X-Men outshot the Aigles Bleus by a 13-12 margin in the second and held the edge in total shots after 40 minutes 25-22. Marion made a few key saves early in the second period to keep the Aigles Bleus in the game while Perricone carried over his strong play from the previous four games.
Both teams played disciplined hockey as well, not taking many penalties. The X-Men were 0-2 on the power play through forty minutes and the Aigles Bleus were 0-1.
The third period would prove to be the difference in the game, as the Aigles Bleus were able to score three unanswered goals, the final one being an empty netter. The three goals were quite spread apart as the Aigles Bleus held a 10-5 lead in shots in the period, capitalizing on their opportunities when they arose.
Fifth in scoring in AUS regular season play, Eric Faille scored the first goal of the series for the Aigles Bleus at the 7:58 mark off assists from Marc-Andre Cote and Pier-Alexandre Poulin. Cote then responded at the 13:46 mark to give Moncton some insurance when he buried one home from Maxime Pilon and Samuel Groulx. The Aigles Bleus put the game out of reach for the X-Men when Guillaume Parenteau (Remi Blanchard, Cote) scored an empty net goal at the 18:46 mark.
Moncton ended up outshooting StFX by a 32-30 margin. Perricone made 29 saves for the X-Men while Marion turned aside 30 X-Men shots in nets for Moncton. Marc-Andre Cote was named the Subway player of the game for the Aigles Bleus, collecting one goal and two assists in the 3-0 shutout win.
The X-Men and Aigles Bleus will continue their first round quarterfinal series Saturday, February 18th in Antigonish at 7:00 pm at the StFX Charles V. Keating Centre. The X-Men will need to win game two on Saturday in order to keep their season going and force a third game in the best 2-of-3 series, while the Aigles Bleus will be looking to close out the series in with two straight victories.
Should an X-Men victory on Saturday force a third and deciding game, the series will shift back to Moncton on Monday, February 20th for game three.