Game recap by: Kirk Jessome
(Halifax, NS) – In Wednesday night hockey action, the Dalhousie Tigers hosted l'Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus at the Halifax Forum. A quick 2-0 start in the first period was enough to help Moncton to a 4-1 win.
Moncton was able to get on the board first in this one when the Tigers got stuck trying to clear the zone. The puck worked below the goal line when Alexis Roy (Amos, QC) picked off the pass, came around the opposite side of the net and placed the puck right on the tape of Vincent Deslauriers (Blainville, QC) who was waiting in the slot. Deslauriers quickly fired the one-timed shot back into the far side where it came from to open the scoring.
It didn't take long for l'Aigles Bleus to add another one to the tally after being given a power play opportunity shortly after the first goal.
Once again the puck was worked deep below the goal line, this time by Victor Beaulac (Saint-Hyacinthe, QC) who waited for the Tigers defender to make a move before sending a great cross-crease pass to Maxime St-Cyr (St-Didace, QC) who rifled a shot that went bar-down to give Moncton a 2-0 lead.
The Tigers put up 12 shots in the period, but none of them were threatening as they went into the first intermission down 2-0.
The Tigers were able to respond immediately out of the break. On a breakout play from their own zone, Andrew Shewfelt (Dartmouth, NS) sprung Jackson Playfair (Fort St. James, BC) on a partial break with a defender right on his hip. Playfiar made a nice move to fake to the backhand, and sent a low shot toward goal that just squeaked through the pads Étienne Montpetit (Valleyfield, QC) to bring the score to 2-1.
Moncton was able to answer back in the period when Carl Marios (Montmagny, QC) made a nifty toe drag to get around a defender in the corner and dish it off to Thierry Comtois (Sherbrooke, QC) who picked his spot to beat Reilly Pickard (Halifax, NS).
Time ran out in the second period with Moncton leading 2-1.
The Tigers were pressing for another goal early in the period, but after a long series of pressure, gave up another prime scoring opportunity to Moncton. Comtois deflected the puck off the boards to get past a Tigers defender breaking out of his own zone, collected the puck and came in alone against Pickard. Comtois took a quick shot at blocker side, just above the pad, but Pickard dropped the blocker quickly to make the stop.
L'Aigles Bleu got redemption just a few minutes later on another power play chance from St-Cyr that was almost a carbon copy of his first cross-crease, top shelf goal to put Moncton up 4-1 on the Tigers.
The Tigers were unable to find the back of the net again in this one as the final buzzer rang and Moncton came away with the 4-1 victory.
The Subway Player of the Game in this one was St-Cyr for his two goals, including the game winner.
The Tigers are back on the ice this Saturday when they take on StFX in a road game. Moncton will also take on StFX next, when they host them on Friday.