Game recap by: Kirk Jessome
(Halifax, NS) – On an irregularly scheduled Monday night game in AUS men's hockey, the Dalhousie Tigers took on the Saint Mary's Huskies in a cross-town matchup. The Huskies jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, and Cole Chevaldave was solid in goal as Saint Mary's took it by a final score of 4-1.
The Huskies opened up the game hard on the offensive end, putting plenty of pucks toward Tigers goalie Corbin Boes (Saskatoon, SK) early, but most of them coming from the outside, giving him a clear line of vision.
Five minutes into the first, the Huskies got their first power play. The Tigers were aggressive with their penalty kill, and able to clear it the length of the ice a few times, but the Huskies were able to set up a breakout from their own end. Chipping the puck in deep, Hunter Garlent (Thorold, ON) worked the puck below the goal line for the Huskies. Garlent sent a tape-to-tape pass across to the other side of the slot where Steven Shipley (Ilderton, ON) was waiting to fire it into the far corner to give the Huskies the lead.
The Huskies struck again, with five minutes left in the first period after a pinch left a Tigers defender out of position during a Huskies breakout, resulting in a 2-on-1. Jake Coughler (St. Catherines, ON) drove down the left side, sending a hard pass in front that was redirected by Aaron Berisha (Mississauga, ON). The shot just trickled through the pads of Boes to put the Huskies up 2-0.
Just three minutes later the Huskies were able to add on another one before the period ended. Once again on a transition dump-and-chase play, very similar to the first goal, Anthony Repaci (Toronto, ON) sent a pass from the corner out front to Hunter Garlent who redirected it home to put Saint Mary's up 3-0 heading into the first intermission.
The Tigers struggled to get things going offensively in the first, generating only four shots on goal.
The Tigers came out of the break with some fire to start the second with an aggressive fore check in the Huskies end resulting in a power play opportunity. The Tigers were able to put some shots toward Cole Cheveldave (Calgary, AB), but they couldn't find their first goal.
With six minutes left to go in the period, the Huskies power play was able to go back to work. They worked the puck around the attacking zone to Aaron Berisha at the point. Berisha sent a pass right in front that was stopped by Steven Shipley with his back to the net. Shipley was able to turn and spin around the defender on his back, and tuck a backhand into the side of the net to make it 4-0 for the Huskies.
Despite giving up the goal, the Tigers worked hard through the period desperately trying to find their opening goal. Chandler Yakimowicz (Kinston, PA) looked like he might have found it has a puck bounced out of the corner right to him in front of the Huskies net, but Cheveldave reached out with his glove to rob the Tigers forward.
After some rough stuff at the end of the period resulting in the Tigers being down two men to start the next period, they went into the break with the Huskies leading 4-0.
The Tigers penalty kill played strong, positional defense at the start of the period and were able to kill off the Huskies two-man advantage with no real scoring threats given up.
The Tigers were finally able to find the back of the net with seven minutes to go in the third period on a power play chance. Jesse Lussier (Petawawa, ON) drove down the left side from his own zone into the attacking end, and sent a hard pass across the slot to Colton Heffley (Swift Current, SK) who hammered it home to give the Tigers their first goal.
Time ran out on the Tigers however, as the Huskies came away with a 4-1 victory.
Steven Shipley earned the Subway Player of the Game honours, picking up two goals in the match. Even with giving up four goals in the match, Corbin Boes was still strong in goal for the Tigers as he came away with 45 saves.
The Tigers are back in action on Friday when they travel to play against UPEI, while the Huskies will play on the road against Acadia on Wednesday.