(ANTIGONISH, NS) Netminder Joseph Raaymakers (Chatham, ON) put up a 48 save performance as the STFX X-Men handed the U SPORTS No. 1 ranked UNB REDS their first loss of the Atlantic University Sport season, 4-3 Saturday night, in Antigonish.
The X-Men struggled, out of the gate, to generate any scoring opportunities and did not register a shot on goal in the opening period.
The home squad took three consecutive minor penalties late in the first period, but were able to hold off the REDS, who garnered 17 shots in the first period as the scoreless draw remained after 20 minutes of play.
The X-Men regained their footing in the second period and found the back of the net 14 minutes in. Patty Kyte (Pembroke, ON) skated through neutral ice and found Matt Struthers (Milton, ON) streaking up the wing. He then cut in towards the net and wristed one to beat Griffen Outhouse (Williams Lake, BC).
The goal came after Raaymakers had stopped REDS forward Austen Keating (Guelph, ON) on a break midway through the period.
X almost took a one-goal lead to the dressing room in the second intermission but they let down their guard and James McEwan (Chatham, ON) took advantage, scoring at 19:30 for UNB.
He picked up a loose puck just outside the X blueline and skated down ice, beating Raaymakers with a low shot from a tricky angle. The unassisted goal evened things at 1-1.
The REDS got on the board 37 seconds into the third period, but the lead was short lived as the X-Men replied with a goal of their own 18 seconds later to even things again.
St. John's native Tyler Boland's shot on Raaymakers was stopped, but the rebound came directly onto the stick of Keating who one-timed it into the open mesh.
While in the REDS zone on the next possession, Will Bower (Saint John, NB) stole the puck off Outhouse who mishandled it behind his own net. Bower's quick pass to Declan Smith (Antigonish, NS) made for an easy shot against the out of position Outhouse.
Smith was also in on the go -ahead goal at 8:48 as he started a tic-tac-toe play in the REDS zone, handing off to Bower then Conner Bruggen-Cate (Langley, BC) who deposited to puck past an outstretched Outhouse to give the X-Men a 3-2 lead.
The X-Men had newfound energy following their third goal and kept up the offensive pressure against the REDS.
Matt Philip (Ilderton, ON) notched an insurance marker for the X-Men with 2:19 left in the game as he outraced a UNB defender and broke in to beat Outhouse.
The REDS did not back down, and after pulling Outhouse in favour of an extra attacker, Joe Gatenby (Kelowna, BC) scored with 20 seconds left in the game, beating Raaymakers on a screen shot from the point.
The REDS called timeout and upon returning to the ice had a flurry of activity in front of the X net, but Subway Player of the Game Raaymakers held his ground and the buzzer sounded for the X-Men and the 4-3 victory.
Raaymakers ended up with 48 saves on the night as his X-Men were outshot 51-23.
The X-Men will be back in action on Friday night, when they host the Acadia Axemen. The REDS will face-off against Moncton, on home ice, also on Friday night.
RECAP BY: Krista McKenna/STFX Sports Information
PHOTOS BY: Bryan Kennedy/for STFX Sports Information