UNB Leads Series 2-1 Over X-Men

Courtesy Glenn MacDonald, The Chronicle Herald

The UNB Varsity Reds are one win away from an Atlantic Universities Hockey Conference banner.

Travis Fullerton turned aside all 21 shots he faced to earn the shutout as the Varsity Reds blanked the host St. Francis Xavier X-Men 2-0 in Game 3 of the AUS league championship in front of nearly 2,000 fans at the Keating Millennium Centre.

Cape Bretoners Chris Culligan and Nick MacNeil had the goals.

UNB leads the best-of-five series 2-1 and can capture its first conference championship since 2008 this evening. Game 4 is tonight, 7 p.m. in Antigonish. If St. F.X. wins, the fifth and deciding game will be held Friday night in Fredericton.

After a scoreless opening frame, Culligan, of Howie Centre, scored on an odd-man rush with Hunter Tremblay and Daine Todd at 13:24 of the second period to put UNB on the board.

Creignish’s MacNeil netted the insurance marker on a power play with 4:34 remaining in the third period.

St. F.X. goalie Joseph Perricone made 23 saves.

Although X and UNB have automatic berths into the University Cup championship — which UNB hosts March 24-27 in Fredericton — the teams have been fighting tooth and nail to go to nationals as the Atlantic conference champion.

The V-Reds won Game 1 of the AUS final in overtime last Friday. St. F.X. returned the favour and beat UNB in double overtime Saturday on a Phil Mangan goal. It was the first loss in 18 games on home ice this season for the V-Reds.

The other teams that have qualified for nationals are: the Alberta Golden Bears, who lost to Saint Mary’s in overtime in last year’s CIS championship final; the McGill Redmen; the Western Mustangs and the Calgary Dinos.