Huskies prevail in high scoring affair
The Saint Mary’s Huskies offense came to Charlottetown ready to play as they put up 8 on the UPEI Panthers. Quick goals and penalties were the stories of the night.
By: Marshall Mayne
Photo: Janessa Hogan
The Saint Mary's Huskies offence came to Charlottetown ready to play as they put up 8 on the UPEI Panthers. Quick goals and penalties were the stories of the night. The referees were busy as the Panthers and Huskies combined for a total of 55 penalty minutes, and 14 goals.
The first five minutes had the crowd buzzing inside MacLauchlan Arena. The Panthers started hot out of the gate with solid pressure in the St. Mary's zone. However, the Huskies were finally able to break away from the furious Panther attack to strike first on a 2 on 1 play 1:33 into the first. Bronson Beaton buried it with assists from Calder Brooks and Hunter Garlent.
Less than three minutes later, Darcy Ashley who played his first game of the season, helped open the Panther scoring with a great feed from the corner to find JC Campagna for his third goal of the season. Mere seconds following the Campagna goal, JC fed Ashley in front to give the Panthers their first and only lead of the game. Just as the Panther crowd were able to sit down the Huskies tied it 0:24 seconds later on a goal by Conor McGlynn, assisted by Bradley Latour and Taylor Burke.
On a cross-checking penalty from JC Campagna, Bronson Beaton potted his second of the period the who snuck in behind the Panthers defenders to make it 3-2 Huskies. St. Mary's was not done there as Hunter Garlent got into the action at the 16:38 mark to make it 4-2 Huskies.
With only 0:50 seconds into the second period, Calder Brooks of St. Mary's went off for interference. The Panthers started and ended the powerplay strong, a hard shot from the high slot by RT Rice was redirected in front by Kurt Etchegary for his second of the season and the Panthers cut the Huskies lead to 4-3.
Connor Wilkinson came in on relieve following the four goals allowed by starter Matt Mahalak in the first, and Steven Shipley took advantage. Quickly after the Panthers goal, Shipley received a crisp pass from Ben Duffy to find the back of the net and the Huskies regained their two goal lead, 2:48 into the second. If that wasn't enough, the Huskies added to their lead with a goal from Taylor Burke 0:32 seconds later, Ben Duffy, and Kyle Pereira added the assists.
The Huskies, wouldn't take their foot off the gas providing all kinds of problems for the Panthers on both ends of the ice. The Panthers, however, had their chances. Third year forward Marcus Power, was able to beat the defense wide to create a solid scoring chance sliding a pass over to first year forward Cody Payne, who couldn't handle it, and barely missed the net. Sam Aulie also had a great individual effort, weaving his way through the Huskie zone before goaltender Eric Brassard turned him away.
The Panthers were able to keep the attack going as Cody Payne was able to beat Brassard just seconds after the Huskies penalty expired, Brent Andrews made the play resulting in Payne's seventh of the season, cutting the Huskie lead to 6-4. Gabe Guertler wasn't satisfied, with 0:20 seconds remaining in the period, he cut the lead to one after a great forecheck by Darcy Ashley following a Campagna dump in led to the Guertler goal.
The quick action continued in the third when Guertler took a boarding penalty 0:08 seconds into the final frame. The Huskies pushed hard on the ensuing power play, however, the Panthers were able to kill it off. The Panthers followed it up with some solid pressure of their own before a questionable call, burned all the momentum the Panthers cooked up. RT Rice went off for a checking to the head penalty, and the Huskies capitalized. Bradley Latour scored for the Huskies, where Shipley, and Duffy provided the help. The Latour goal allowed the Huskies to regain their two goal lead.
The Huskies continued with the quick strikes, as 0:53 seconds later, Islander Thomas Stavert found a lane along the left wing and beat Wilkinson glove side to give the Huskies their second three goal lead of the evening. Emotions began to run high for both teams as the game came closer to the final buzzer, as Stephen Gillard of the Huskies took a high sticking major with 0:42 left in the game. On that powerplay with 0:04 seconds to go, Sam Aulie registered his second goal of the season.
Bronson Beaton (2-2), Hunter Garlent (1-3), and Bradley Latour (1-2) led the way for the Huskies. For the Panthers, JC Campagna (1-2), and Darcy Ashley (1-2) in his first game this season led the way for UPEI in the defeat. The Huskies (3-5-1) will move onto face UNB tomorrow night, and the Panthers (4-3-2) will host the Acadia Axemen at Maclauchlan Arena, puck drop at 7:00 pm.