FREDERICTON (U SPORTS) – The No.2 St. FX X-Men have advanced to the 2017 U SPORTS Cavendish Farms University Cup semifinals by defeating the the No.7 McGill Redmen 4-1.

University Cup website: www.universitycup.ca

In the first 40 minutes, Matt Needham (Penticton, B.C.) scored at 2:27 of the first period for the X-Men while  a goal by Michael Clarke (London, Ont.) at 14:35 of  the second period would prove to be the game-winner for  StFX

Throughout the first and second periods both team traded scoring chances, with odd-man rushes and close in shots on goal. Needham’s goal came about after a misplayed puck by McGill goalie Jacob Gervais-Chouinard (St-Joseph-du-lac, Que.).

In the third, McGill brought the game within one,  on a goal by Christophe Lalonde (Mirabel, Que.) on a power play shot from the point at 4:04, but the X-Men added two more in the third to put the game out of reach. Mark Tremaine (Dartmouth, N.S.) scored at 12:09, and then Holden Cook (Oshawa, Ont.) had the back-breaker at 13:01.

X-Men goaltender Chase Marchand (Halifax, N.S,) faced 20 shots, while McGill’s Gervais-Chinouard faced 35.

The X-Men now advance to the semifinals in the 2017 USPORTS Cavendish Farms University Cup, against the Saskatchewan Huskies. It’s the second year in a row the two teams will met in the semis. Last year, the game went into triple overtime before being settled by the X-Men on a goal by Clarke  

For StFX coach Brad Peddle, looking toward what lies ahead wasn’t in the cards at the beginning of today’s game.

“Our goal was to live another day,” he said. We weren’t thinking beyond today. Now we have video to watch tonight, and we need to focus on another game.”

“The key for us tonight was to come out flying,” added Peddle. “This was a rough game, a bit chippy, and our players showed a lot of character in their play. We had a lot of chances, we were on our toes, and ready to go.”

McGill coach Kelly Nobes was disheartened with being eliminated.

“I am obviously disappointed. We don’t come to this tournament to lose. We came to win,” he said. “We have five guys who have been to nationals before this year. One step in the process is getting here, the next step is to elevate our game. It was a learning experience, and the younger guys will want to be back here again next year.”

Nobes gave credit to StFX’s transition game.

“They turned a bad decision on our part into an advantage for them, and came at us hard and fast.”

For StFX’s Eric Locke, playing in the Aitken Centre, which is home to the UNB Varsity Reds throughout the season, had a different feel tonight.

“We look out and see lots of our fans here. We feed off that energy,” he said, after playing in front of an announced attendance of 3,269:”It starts big time with our president in the front row.”

Etienne Boutet was the Adidas Player of the Game for McGill, while Holden Cook earned the honours for StFX.

Semifinal Saturday will see UNB host Acadia, while in the the second semi, StFX will meet Saskatchewan. Both games will be broadcast on Sportsnet 360 and streamed on SN Now.

SCORING SUMMARY

Official Boxscore: http://en.usports.ca/championships/mice/2017/boxscores_champ/20170317_783a.xml

First Period
1. STFX Matt Needham (1) (Jagger Dirk, Bryson Cianfrone) 02:27

Second Period
2. STFX Michael Clarke (1) (Holden Cook, Cole MacDonald) 14:35

Penalties: Bois (MCG) cross-checking 3:27; Spears (STFX) high sticking 5:32; Studnicks (STFX) kneeing (major, game misconduct) 19:23; Curcuruto (MCG) cross-checking 19:23. 

Third Period
3. MCG Christopher Lalonde (1) (Dominic Talbot-Tassi) 4:04
4. STFX Mark Tremaine (1) (Nathan Pancel) 12:09
5. STFX Holden Cook (1) (Eric Locke) 13:01

Penalties: Cook (STFX) roughing 1:09; Tremaine (STFX) tripping 3:21; Tremblay (MCG) checking from behind (major, game misconduct) 4:49.

GOALS (by period)
STFX 1-1-2: 4
MCG 0-0-1: 1

SHOTS ON GOAL (by period)
STFX 14-14-7: 35
MCG 6-7-9: 22

POWER PLAY: STFX 0-4, MCG 1-6.

GOALTENDERS
STFX – Chase Marchand (W, 1-0, 22 shots, 21 saves, 1 GA, 60:00)
MCG – Jacob Gervais-Chouinard (L, 0-1, 35 shots, 31 saves, 4 GA, 60:00) 

ADIDAS PLAYERS OF THE GAME: STFX – Holden Cook; MCG – Etienne Boutet.

REFEREES: Mario Maillet, Korey Bannerman
LINESMEN: John MacDonnell, Jesse Marquis
ATTENDANCE: 3,269
Start: 7:28 pm; End: 9:55 pm; LENGTH: 2:27. 

SCHEDULE & RESULTS (All Times AT)

Thursday, March 16, 2017
1:00pm Quarter-final 1: No. 8 Acadia 4, No. 1 Alberta 1 (USPORTS.LIVE)
8:00pm Quarter-final 2: No. 5 UNB 5, No. 4 Queen’s 1 (USPORTS.LIVE) 

Friday, March 17, 2017
1:00pm Quarter-final 3: No. 6 Saskatchewan 1, No. 3 York 0 (OT) (USPORTS.LIVE)
7:00pm Quarter-final 4: No. 2 StFX 4, No. 7 McGill 1 (USPORTS.LIVE) 

Saturday, March 18, 2017
12:00PM Semi-final 1:  Acadia vs. UNB (Sportsnet 360 / SN NOW)
4:00PM Semi-final 2: Saskatchewan vs. St. FX (Sportsnet 360 / SN NOW)

Sunday, March 19, 2017
9:30AM Bronze (USPORTS.LIVE)
1:00PM Gold (Sportsnet 360 / SN NOW)