X-Men top Tigers 3-0

The STFX X-Men beat the Dalhousie Tigers 3-0 at the Halifax Forum on Wednesday night. 

The first period of the game between Dalhousie and St. Francis Xavier University ended scoreless, with both teams demonstrating strong defensive play. Dalhousie started with a power play opportunity early in the period at 1:37 due to a high-sticking penalty on Logan Chisholm, but they were unable to convert, with multiple shots from Joseph Serpa, Brody Fournier, and Liam Peyton, all saved by the X-Men's goalie Lucas Pfeil. Similarly, the X-Men had a power play later in the period at 12:26 when Dalhousie was penalized for too many players on the ice, but Dalhousie's goalie Nicholas Chenard consistently blocked shots from Ben Mercer and Ethan Burroughs. Both teams had numerous missed shots throughout the period, resulting in a defensive stalemate as they headed into the second period with no goals scored.

The second period began with a faceoff win by Dalhousie's Liam Peyton, but it was the X-Men that capitalized on early momentum. After a series of missed shots by both teams, Liam Peyton was penalized for tripping at 4:24, giving the X-Men a power play, which resulted in a goal by Simon Motew at 4:30, assisted by Jacob Maillet and Ethan Burroughs. Shortly after, Dalhousie faced another penalty when Brody Fournier was called for boarding at 5:04, although the X-Men were unable to score during the power play. Despite numerous attempts by the X-Men throughout the period, Dalhousie's goalkeeper, Nicholas Chenard, consistently made saves, denying further goals. The period concluded with coincidental roughing penalties to Sean Stewart from the X-Men and Joseph Serpa from Dalhousie at 19:44, leaving the score 1-0 in favor of the X-Men as the period ended.

The third period began with the X-Men taking control early, as Ethan Burroughs scored at 1:14 with assists from Connor Roberts and Shawn Spearing, followed by a second goal from Ben Mercer at 2:11, assisted by Cole Stewart and Simon Motew. Dalhousie struggled to capitalize on multiple power play opportunities, including a penalty against Raegan Wiles at 3:44 and another against Sean Stewart at 8:56, but were unable to score. Despite several shots, Dalhousie's attempts were consistently turned away by the X-Men's goalie, Lucas Pfeil. The period ended with the X-Men maintaining a 3–0 lead, as Dalhousie's empty-net strategy in the final minutes did not yield a goal.

Nicholas Chenard stood out on the Dalhousie ice hockey team as a key player, having made 46 saves in his latest appearance as a goalie. Despite the team's overall performance, Chenard's contributions in net were significant. Liam Peyton had been active in faceoffs, winning 10 while losing 7, demonstrating his involvement in crucial moments on the ice. Joseph Serpa led the team in shot attempts with 5, showcasing his offensive presence. Brody Fournier was also notable with 4 shots on goal, contributing to the team's offensive efforts. These players were central to the team's dynamics and had shown impactful performances through their respective statistics.

The Tigers return to the ice on Friday when they travel to Charlottetown to face the UPEI Panthers.