Antigonish, NS - A two-goal rally in the third period was the difference as the CIS No. 3 ranked UNB Varsity Reds skated to a 3-2 win over the StFX X-Men Friday night in AUS hockey action.
More than 500 fans watched the game on Halloween night at the Keating Centre.
Heading into the final 20 minutes, the Varsity Reds trailed 2-1.
At 11:09 of the period, Adrian Robertson (Mississauga, ON) knotted the game on assists from Cam Braes (Shawinigan Lake, BC) and Cameron Brace (Toronto, ON).
Rob Mignardi (Richmond Hill, ON), from Taylor MacDougall (Fredericton, NB) and Cameron Critchlow (Fredericton, NB), scored what proved to be the game-winner with 5:34 left in regulation.
The Varsity Reds had the only goal of the second period. At the seven-second mark, X-Men defenseman Bronson Maschmeyer (Bruderheim, AB) coughed up the puck just inside his own blue line and the Varsity Reds took advantage. Brace took the puck, broke in alone on X-Men goaltender Drew Owsley (Lethbridge, AB) and scored on the backhand to slice the StFX lead to 2-1.
The X-Men jumped to a 2-0 lead in the the opening period.
At 3:16, Michael Kirkpatrick (North Sydney, NS) blocked a point shot from Jordan Murray (Moncton, NB) before breaking in alone and roofing a shot top shelf over the glove hand of David Shantz (Hamilton, ON). The shorthanded goal was also unassisted.
Freshman Adam Stevens (Bedford, NS) made it 2-0 at the 16:16 mark, when he completed a two-on-one play with defenseman Trey Lewis (Aldouane, NB).
"Trey made a great play in the neutral zone," Stevens said. After intercepting a Varsity Red pass, Lewis lugged it over the blue line and made a centering passing to Stevens, who made no mistake.
"It was a wide open net," he said. It was the first CIS goal for the former member of the Gatineau Olympiques. "It felt great. It was awesome getting [the first goal] off my back," Stevens said after the first period.
"Hopefully, there are a few more to come," he added.
The Varsity Reds outshot the X-Men 36-19. The three stars of the game were Brace, Owsley and Robertson.
The Varsity Reds will be back on the ice tomorrow (Nov. 1) when they visit Halifax to face the Dalhousie Tigers.
The X-Men return to action tomorrow as well when they host the Universite de Moncton Aigles Bleus. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Keating Centre.
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