CIS men's hockey Monday roundup: Moncton, UPEI off to AUS semifinals

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE - Matt Carter's goal at 11:41 of the second overtime period cut short the Acadia Axemen's post season as the UPEI Panthers eliminated the Axemen after a 6-5 2OT win in game three of the best of three quarterfinals series.

Carter, named the first of three Subway game stars, sent the game into overtime after a early third period goal.

While Acadia's senior forward Adam McIllwraith grabbed the quick early marker at 1:50 of the first to take a 1-0 lead, the Panthers netted four straight goals to take a commanding 4-1 advantage after just over 15 minutes of play.

Alex Wall started the wave of goals at 2:04 in the first, followed by Jared Gomes second goal of the quarterfinal series just under two minutes later. Teammate Chris Desousa continued the flurry of goals and Gomes would score is second of the night to give UPEI the 4-1 lead after 15:19 minutes of play in the first period.

Starting netminder for the Axemen, Evan Mosher, was pulled following the Gomes goal after allowing four goals on seven shots. Peter DiSalvo replaced Mosher.

With under two minutes remaining in the opening period, Acadia's Spencer Jezegou closed the margin with Acadia's third powerplay goal of the three game series.

Outshooting the Axemen 12-9 in the first period, roles were reversed in the second as Acadia landed a 17-4 shots on goal advantage in the second period and sparking a three goal comeback led by Liam Heelis who scored a short handed goal early in the second.

Jonathan Laberge scored his third goal of the quarterfinal series with just over a minute remaining in the second followed by teammate Joel Ridgeway's second goal of the post season 34 seconds later to give Acadia the 5-4 lead after two frames.

It was Carter's heriocs in the final period that tied the game at five with less than two minutes remaining in regulation time. Carter's overtime winner, his fifth goal of the quarterfinal series, gives UPEI a trip to the semi-final round for the first time since 1996.

The Panther win will match up the league leading UNB Varsity Reds against UPEI starting this Friday Night in Fredericton, NB. Acadia's Adam McIllwraith, Paul Kurceba and Ryan Graham will find themselves leaving the Axemen upon graduation this spring, while it is expected the current roster will return for the 2012-13 season.

Source: Acadia Sports Info

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 just over four 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.

Source: StFX Sports Info