Game recap by: Kirk Jessome
(Halifax, NS) – In midweek hockey action, the Dalhousie Tigers hosted l'Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus at the Halifax Forum. In a goal filled affair that saw the Tigers jump out 4-0 in the first period, the Tigers ended up with a 6-3 victory.
The Tigers opened the scoring early in this one thanks to a power play opportunity. Controlling the puck around the perimeter, Jesse Lussier (Ottawa, ON) sent a pass across the blue line to his defense partner Connor Welsh (Halifax, NS). Welsh sent a pass right back to Lussier and he fired a hard slap shot the was able to beat Étienne Montpetit (Valleyfield, QC) on the nearside post.
It wasn't long before the Tigers were able to collect another goal, as Colton Heffley (Swift Current, SK) was able to collect the puck that was sitting in front directly off the faceoff, spin around to square up and find some space to tuck it in the top corner to make it 2-0.
L'Aigles Bleus had a few opportunities on multiple power plays throughout the period, the best of which coming from a hard one-timed shot from Maxime St-Cyr (St-Didace, QC) that was stopped by Reilly Pickard (Halifax, NS) sliding across to make the glove save.
The Tigers added another goal on a fantastic individual effort from Chandler Yakimowicz (Kingston, PA). Yakimowicz broke into the zone and made a great move to jump around a defender going from backhand to forehand and put himself in open space to fire a wrist shot into the opposite side corner to give the Tigers a commanding lead.
The Tigers added one more goal before the end of the period on a breakaway attempt that Jackson Playfair (Fort St. James, BC) set up for himself tipping the puck away at his own blue line. Playfair won the foot race to center ice to collect the puck and go in alone against Montpetit. Playfair made a slight fake, and then fired the puck through the five-hole to make it 4-0 at the end of the first period.
Special teams were doing well for the Tigers, midway through the period on the penalty kill, Andrew Shewfelt (Dartmouth, NS) broke out of his own zone and down the side boards into the Moncton end. Shewfelt looked up and hit Mike Evelyn (Ottawa, ON) with a pass as he was trailing in the slot. Evelyn took a shot that Montpetit got a piece of, but still found its way by him to make it 5-0.
Jonathan Cyr (Ottawa, ON) added the Tigers 6th goal of the game as he was set up in front of the crease and in the right place at the right time as a strange bounce off the boards put the puck right at his stick with an open cage and he made no mistake putting it home.
Moncton was finally able to capitalize on a chance with under a minute to go in the period as St-Cyr broke into the zone down the right side and sent a nice saucer pass over to Marc-Anthony Therrien (Nicolet, QC) who sent a low snap shot toward the opposite side post to beat Pickard and get his team on the board.
After a comparatively quiet period, the teams went into the third with the Tigers leading 6-1.
Opening the third period on a power play, l'Aigles Bleus were able to pick up two unanswered goals on a nice give and go play in the slot with St-Cyr picking up his 15th goal of the season firing a shot over the shoulder of Pickard to make it 6-2.
Moncton made it three in a row, midway through the period as Danick Crête (Riguad, QC) made a nice spin move in the slot to get around a Tigers defender and tuck the puck in with a backhand to bring his team within three.
After a goal filled affair, the Tigers were able to hold on for the 6-3 victory.
Andrew Shewfelt earned himself the Subway Player of the Game title, collecting three assists to lead the Tigers in the win.
Both teams will take on StFX in their next game, as the Tigers will face them on Friday, while Moncton will travel there on Saturday.