LETHBRIDGE, Alta. (U SPORTS) The Queen's Gaels dropped a 5-3 decision to the StFX X-Men at the ENMAX Centre on Friday night. StFX were able to overcome a three-goal deficit and outlast the Queen's Gaels to advance to the semifinals of the 2019 U SPORTS Cavendish Farms University Cup while Queen's sees their season comes to a close.
Schedule & Results
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Queen's came out of the gates with speed and precision and were the better team early. The Gaels would open the scoring just after the six-minute mark, following a tripping penalty to Cook. Gaels fourth-year forward
Luke Edwards was able to find the net on the power play by tipping a point blast from defenceman
Nevin Guy.
Edwards would strike again just over four minutes later. After accepting a nifty entry pass from forward
Jaden Lindo, Edwards would speed in on a partial break, and snap a wrist shot just over the blocker of StFX goaltender Chase Marchand.
The torrid pace would continue for the Gaels when third-year rearguard
Francesco Vilardi streaked to the net from the right point and accepted a cross-ice feed from forward
Owen Stout and tap the puck into the open side.
StFX would get on the board late in the period on a power play goal. Cook was able to light the lamp by firing a puck short side after corralling it off of a huge bounce from the end boards. From there, the comeback was on.
The second stanza was a tightly checked period featuring lots of physical play. StFX would cut the Gaels lead to one with the only goal of the period at the 13:37 mark. Fifth-year forward Adam Stevens was able to get just enough lumber on the puck to beat the Gaels' second team OUA all-star goaltender,
Justin Fazio.
StFX pressed hard to find the equalizer early in the third period. Cook drew his team even just after a Gaels penalty had expired. A scrum ensued in front of the Queen's net and Cook was able to pounce on a loose puck in the slot for his second goal of the game.
The X-Men would get their first lead of the game just past the 14-minute mark of the third period. After a defensive coverage breakdown by the Gaels, StFX second-year forward Adam Laishram would find himself all alone in the front of the net. He made no mistake and rifled a wrister to the top corner to bulge the twine.
Ultimately, StFX third-year forward Sam Studnicka would ice the game for the X-Men with an empty netter with just 42 seconds left.
Boxscore
Players of the Game
StFX: Holden Cook
Queen's: Luke Edwards
