Game recap by: Kirk Jessome
(Halifax, NS) – It was a busy night of sports action as Dalhousie's homecoming was in full swing. As part of the celebrations, the Tigers took on their cross-town rivals, the Saint Mary's Huskies. The Tigers were able to fight back after falling behind twice in the game, but late penalties eventually cost them as the Huskies were able to walk away with the 4-2 win.
Saint Mary's opened the scoring early in the period as the Huskies Mark Trickett (Baddeck, NS) worked the puck along the attacking blue-line, and found Anthony Repaci (Toronto, ON) in the slot, who turned and beat Tigers goalie Corbin Boes (Saskatoon, SK) over the pad.
The Tigers had plenty of chances coming from odd-man breaks. Jackson Playfair (Fort St. James, BC) was sent in on a partial break with a defender on his back, but his deke couldn't beat Huskies goalie Eric Brassard (St. Hubert, QC) through the five-hole. Kelly Brent (Halifax, NS) took a hard shot that had Brassard moving the opposite way, but he was able to keep it out with his toe.
The Tigers got into penalty trouble in the middle of the period as they went down 2-men for over a minute. The Huskies worked the puck around the zone well, and two shots on the power play managed to get by Boes, but neither could beat the post, and the Tigers were able to kill off the penalties.
Just as time was winding down in the period, the Tigers rushed in on a 2-on-1 break, with Ryan Verbeek (Kingston, ON) streaking in with Chandler Yakimowicz (Kingston, PA). Verbeek broke down the left side and sent a beautiful saucer pass across to Yakimowicz who jammed it into the open cage.
The last minute goal ended the period in a 1-1 draw.
The Huskies once again displayed a strong power play, as a shot from Hunter Garlent (Thorold, ON) hit a crowd in front and caused a scramble. Steven Shipley found the puck in the crowd and was able to jam in home and put Saint Mary's up 2-1 in the middle of the second frame.
The Huskies were generating more of the scoring chances in the period as Calder Brooks (Emerald Park, SK) broke into the zone on a 2-on-1 and fired a shot that rang off the post.
The Huskies found the net again when a pass from Calder Brooks came from the half-boards out to Dylan DiPerna (Nobleton, ON) at the middle of the blue-line and he tucked a one-timed slap shot just under the crossbar and over the blocker of Boes.
The Tigers brought the game back within one just minutes later. The puck was being worked along the boards down low in the Huskies zone, when Ryan Verbeek was able to break from the wall and send a pass out to Yakimowicz at the point who fired home his second of the game.
With the Tigers searching for the equalizer late in the game, an untimely penalty was taken, followed by a clearing attempt that went over the glass to put the Tigers down two men with only three minutes to go.
The Huskies worked the puck around, pressing deep into the Tigers zone. Jake Coughler (St. Catherines, ON) held the puck below the goal line, and sent a hard pass across the ice to the opposite side of the point to Calder Brooks who wired another hard slap shot into the top corner to put the finishing touch on the game for the Huskies.
The unfortunate timing of the penalties led to time running out on the Tigers, as the Huskies took the 4-2 win.
The Subway Player of the Game from the Huskies was Hunter Garlent for his second period goal.
The Tigers will look to bounce back this Wednesday at home as they take on UdeM, and the Huskies on Friday against UPEI.