REDS power past X-Men

ANTIGONISH, NS - A Braeden MacPhee hattrick and four unanswered goals in the second period powered a 9-3 win for the UNB REDS over a short-staffed STFX X-Men on Saturday night at the Charles V. Keating Centre. 

The REDS opened the scoring with back-to-back first period goals under a minute apart. Cody Morgan made the most of a powerplay with a one timer from Cole Huckins, followed by Michael Petizian capitalizing on a behind the net pass from Gage Heyes at the five-minute park. 

STFX defender Charlie Callaghan got one back for the Blue and White on the powerplay with two minutes left in the first, finding the top shelf with a wrister from the point off a pass from Lucas Canning. 

Following the goal, fans threw stuffed animals on the ice as part of the annual Teddy Bear Toss, with the toys going to the Knights of Columbus Toy Drive. 

UNB scored twice in the span of a minute to open the second period, with Heyes tipping home a Justin Nolet point shot, and MacPhee burying a slot shot from Thomas Larouche. 

Tensions boiled over halfway through the middle stanza, and the resulting penalties gave UNB a five-minute powerplay. The REDS added another quick two goals halfway through the period, with Peter Reynolds and Leighton Carruthers finding the back of the net. 

Huckins tallied on the powerplay 30 seconds into the third to make it 7-1 for the REDS, before Matt Cato got one back for STFX from down low after a pass from Ryan McGuire. 

MacPhee added two more for UNB later in the period, and Dominik Godin notched a late one for STFX with 19 seconds left, and the game finished 9-3.  

The X-Men will now break for the holidays before returning to the ice Wednesday, January 7, when they visit the Saint Mary's Huskies.  

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Recap courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Athletics