Hudson's four-goal effort lifts X-Men past Panthers

ANTIGONISH, NS - A four goal night from Jacob Hudson (Antigonish, NS) helped lead the STFX X-Men to a 5-3 win over the visiting UPEI Panthers at the Charles V Keating Centre on Friday night.

Hudson's four goals were good enough to earn him player of the game honors in front of his hometown. Elias Cohen (Toronto, ON), who had two points for the Panthers, picked up the third star of the game, while STFX's Mark Woolley (St. Thomas, ON) was the game's second star. Friday's matchup was the Woolley's Warrior's Diabetes Awareness Game.  

It was a fast paced first period, with the home team generating the majority of the scoring chances early. However, the strong play of Panther goaltender Jonah Capriotti (Charlottetown, PE) and a timely powerplay goal, gave the visitors the lead going into intermission. With about 30 seconds left to play, Marc Richard (Clinton, PE) found an open Cohen, who fired a wrist shot top shelf. Shots at the end of the period were 13-4 in favour of the X-Men.  

A four-minute powerplay midway through the second period saw STFX fighting for the tying goal, and it was Hudson providing the equalizer after picking up a loose puck in front of the UPEI net and ripping one high. What was already a hard hitting game got a bit chippy after that. 

Daylon Groulx (Fort Erie, ON) potted the go-ahead goal for UPEI with under three minutes to play in the second period, after picking up the puck near the blue line, skating in, and picking the short-side top corner. However, Hudson again tied the game for the home team, just over a minute later, tipping home a point shot from Matthew Struthers (Milton, ON). Logan Chisholm (Antigonish, NS) had the other assist. Shots at the end of the second were 25-11 in favour of the X-Men. 

Hudson completed his hattrick 25 seconds into the third period, picking off a pass at mid ice, then streaking in alone and burying a shot low. Declan Smith (Antigonish, NS) doubled the STFX lead five minutes later, picking the puck up along the boards, evading a hit, and coming from behind the net for a backhander. Jacob Stewart (Antigonish, NS) and Conner Bruggen-Cate (Langley, BC) had the assists.

The Panthers weren't done though, with Ben McFarlane (Ayr, ON) lifting one home after getting a pass at the front of the net from Cohen less than two minutes later. The Panthers continued to battle and pulled their goalie late in the game, but Hudson added his fourth goal of the game on the empty net, with a pass from Struthers.

Shots at the end of the game were 31-16 for X. Joseph Raaymakers (Chatham, ON) earned his sixth win of the season, making 13 saves on the night. Capriotti had 26 saves while picking up the loss.

The Panthers keep up with their Nova Scotia trip tomorrow night with a game in Halifax against the Dalhousie Tigers at 7 p.m. The X-Men next hit the ice on November 24, when they will host the Acadia Axemen at the Charles V Keating Centre at 7 p.m. 

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Recap courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Athletics