By Troy Langstaff
The Dalhousie Tigers handed the UPEI Panthers their first regulation loss of the season in a 4-3 victory on Saturday night at the Halifax Forum.
The Tigers came out of the gates flying and set the tone early with a series of big body checks. This physical play did cost them though as two early penalties gave the #2 ranked AUS power play a two man advantage. UPEI would capitalize with Darian Pilon scoring on a tap-in from just outside the crease off of a pass from TJ Shea just 2:55 into the game.
The middle chunk of the period saw more physical play highlighted by an interference minor penalty plus game misconduct handed out to UPEI's Kurtis Henry after he shoved Dalhousie's Jarrett Baker (Black Rock, NS) from the bench.
In the final seconds of the first period the Tigers found themselves on the man advantage once again. Derek Gentile (Sydney, NS) would tie the game after his centering pass deflected off a Panthers defender and found the back of the net.
The second period started right where the first left off with penalties and hard hitting play. UPEI was assessed a controversial delay of game penalty leading to the second Derek Gentile power play goal of the night at 4:14 of the period.
Just over the mid-way mark of the second frame Dalhousie's Shaun Miller (Enfield, NS) made a nice move at center ice to start a 3 on 1 rush for the Tigers. He would keep the puck into the offensive zone and fire a wrist shot low blocker side on Lucas Fitzpatrick to extend the lead to 3-1.
The Panthers would respond just three and a half minutes later when Darian Pilon threw a puck on net from the goal line and it managed to find a hole in between the post and Connor Hicks' pad to bring UPEI within one before the end of the period.
Dalhousie led 3-2 and had the shot advantage 19-13 after two periods of play.
The goals kept coming in the third period with UPEI's TJ Shea tying things up just 2:15 into the final frame.
Less than a minute later the Tigers forced a turnover at their own blueline and Gentile tipped the puck up for Barret Kirwin (Barrie, ON) who went down on a breakaway and fired a high shot. The rebound came back into the slot where Aiden Jamieson (Lindsay, ON) cleaned things up with a backhand shot inside the right post to give the Tigers the 4-3 lead.
Connor Hicks would shut the door the rest of the way making 26 saves en route to Dalhousie's 4-3 victory moving them to 2-2-0 on the season.
This was the Panthers first regulation loss of the year dropping them to 2-1-1.
There were over 50 penalty minutes handed out on the night.
Derek Gentile was named AUS SUBWAY Player of the Game with two goals and an assist.
UPEI will look to get back into the win column on Wednesday when they visit the Saint Mary's Huskies.
The Tigers next game will see them taking on the winless Moncton Aigles Bleus next Friday at the Forum.