Moncton edge X-Men 1-0, eliminate X from playoffs

The X-Men hockey team were eliminated from the AUS playoffs this evening as the Universite de Moncton defeated the blue and white 1-0 in front of a packed crowd at J. Louis Levesque Arena in Moncton in the quarterfinal series-deciding game three.

Dean Ouellet’s power play goal 2:46 into the first period was the only one the Aigles Bleus needed for the win. Moncton goaltender Pierre-Alexandre Marion posted 36 saves to help guide his team to victory.

The Aigles Bleus had won game one by a 3-0 score last Thursday evening in Moncton, then the X-Men followed up with a 3-2 win in game two Saturday at the StFX Keating Centre to force game three and set the stage for the winner-take-all match.

Monday’s game proved to be another close affair between the evenly matched squads. Ouellet gave the home team Aigles Bleus the early edge, notching the power play marker just 2:46 into the game after StFX’s Michael Kirkpatrick was sent to the box for roughing.

The teams exchanged scoring chances for the remainder of the period and each squad killed off a penalty before the period was over. X-Men goaltender Joey Perricone had a key save off Moncton’s Eric Faille who broke in alone. The X-Men outshot the Aigles Bleus 13-10 in the opening frame.

StFX started the second period on the man-advantage and several more penalties ensued throughout the period but neither team was able to capitalize on their opportunities. The X-Men were 0-3 on the power play in the second and the Aigles Bleus were 0-2. Jason Bast had a shorthanded scoring chance for StFX as he dinged a shot of Marion’s mask. Shots were 10-8 in favor of StFX in the middle frame and 23-18 after forty minutes of play. Both goaltenders came up with several big saves for their respective teams.

The netminders continued their strong play throughout the third period with each one making clutch saves to keep their respective team in the game. The X-Men peppered shots at Marion who held his ground as the blue and white outshot the Aigles 13-6 in the final 20 minutes of play.

Scott Brannon was robbed by Marion after he fired an open shot on net from the slot while on the power play. But the game breaker would come with under three minutes to play when X-Men forward Spencer McAvoy thought he had scored the game tying goal for StFX on a wrap-around behind the net, but the goal was immediately waved off by the officials. The X-Men brass were upset with the questionable call of a player in the crease impeding Marion. The goal would have tied the game late in the third period, instead the X-Men were left scratching their heads and scrambling to score the equalizer with minutes to play.

Much to the delight of the hometown crowd, Marion and the Aigles Bleus would hold onto their one-goal lead and stave off the X-Men in the final minutes for the 1-0 victory. Shots ended up in StFX’s advantage at 36-24.

With the win the Aigles Bleus eliminate the X-Men from further play this season and move on to the next round of the AUS playoffs. They will face the second ranked Saint Mary’s Huskies in a best 3-of-5 semi-final series.

The UPEI Panthers won their game three by a 6-5 score in double overtime against the Acadia Axemen, advancing to meet the top seeded UNB Varsity Reds in the other semi-final series.