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Huskies top Varsity Reds 4-3 in OT

Huskies top Varsity Reds 4-3 in OT

(Halifax, NS) The Saint Mary's University Huskies beat the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds 4-3 in overtime on Friday January 13 at the Halifax Forum. The win gives the Huskies a 10-10-1 record and 21 points good for fourth place in the AUS. The loss drops the Varsity Reds to 16-2-3 on the season, their 35 points has them in first place in the AUS and they are the only team to have clinched a playoff spot.

 

Cole Cheveldave was stellar in goal for the Huskies. He made 36 saves to pick up the win and improve his record to 3-7.

 

The Huskies got their goals from Hunter Garlent (Thorold, ON) (10), Ben Duffy (Lower Sackville, NS) (11), Anthony Repaci (Toronto, ON) (6) and Aaron Berisha (Mississauga, ON) (2).

 

Christopher Caissy (Campbellton, NB) (9,10) potted a pair and Matt Boudens (Pembrooke, ON) (4) scored in the third to send it to overtime for the Varsity Reds.

 

Alex Dubeau (Mascouche, QC) made 18 saves in the loss and had his record fall to 6-3.

 

Garlent opened the scoring 6:18 into the first. Berisha dropped the puck to Repaci just outside the Varsity Reds blue line.  Repaci carried into the zone on the left wing to the dot and sent a pass to Garlent all alone at the right hash marks in the slot.  Garlent made a move to his backhand and slid the puck home to make it 1-0.

 

Duffy made it 2-0 at the 12:50 mark of the first. Calder Brooks (Emerald Par,k SK) stole the puck just outside the Varsity Reds line and left it for Francis Menard (Embrun, ON).  Menard chipped it to himself into the zone, he looped back at the right half wall and put a pass right into Duffy's wheelhouse in the slot and Duffy ripped a one-timer blocker side.

 

Caissy responded with his first at the 17:44 mark of the first to make it a 2-1 game. Cassy and Cameron Brace (Markham, ON) worked a give and go on the right wing.  Caissy took the return pass at the top of the circle and sent his shot five hole from just below the dot.

 

Repaci's goal made it 3-1 Huskies just 2:48 into the second. After the Huskies had worked the cycle game down low in Varsity Reds zone Garlent took the puck from behind the net to the high slot and slid a pass to Kyle Pereira (Brampton,  ON).  Pereira tried a one-timer from the top of the right circle, the shot was deflected onto Repaci's stick sitting at the back door and he scored on a tap-in into an open net.

 

Caissy's second of the game came on the power play with 1:31 left to go in the second period. Philippe Halley (Quebec City, QC) and Cam Braes (Shawinigan Lake, BC) worked a cycle in the right corner before it was worked back to Randy Gazzola (Thorold, ON) on the point.  Gazzola sent it across the blue line to Caissy who worked from the boards towards the centre of the ice and fired a shot blocker side through traffic in front to make it a 3-2 game.

 

Boudens had the only goal of the third, tying the game at 3-3 at the 13:15 mark.

Francis Beauvillier (St Hyacinthe, QC) won a foot race to the puck in the Huskies zone and took it down low.  After a battle on the wall, it came to Boudens who brought it out front and wrapped it five hole for the tie game.

 

Berisha scored the overtime winner 3:48 into the extra frame. With the Huskies on the power play, they controlled the puck in the Varsity Reds zone.  Just seconds after the power play ended Garlent fed Repaci in front, Repaci deflected it on goal and the rebound popped right to Berisha who buried it.

 

The Huskies were zero for five on the man advantage while the Varsity Reds went one for seven.

 

Shots were 39-22 overall in favour of the Varsity Reds.

 

Up next:

 

Both teams are back on the ice Saturday, January 14, the Varsity Reds travel to Wolfville, NS to play the Acadia Axemen, while the Huskies host the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers at the Halifax Forum in Halifax, NS.

 

By Cam Honey-Webb

Photo Nick Pearce