Bast scores OT winner to lift X-Men past No. 6-ranked Aigles Bleus

(ANTIGONISH, N.S.) - Jason Bast scored on the power-play 2:44 into overtime to lift the StFX X-Men to a 4-3 OT win over the CIS No. 6-ranked Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus in AUS men's hockey action Saturday night at the Keating Centre in Antigonish.

At 2:44 of the ten-minute extra session, Bast roofed a wrist shot over the shoulder of Moncton goaltender Adrien Lemay to seal the victory. Michael Kirkpatrick and Bronson Maschmeyer tallied assists on the four-on-three game-winner.

Moncton had rallied from a 3-1 deficit late in the second period to force the extra session.

Jarrad Struthers opened the scoring for the X-Men with his first of two goals at 40 seconds of the first period. While screening at the top of the crease, the Glace Bay native deflected a point shot behind Lemay. Nick Pageau and Derek Claffey assisted on the power-play goal.

With a 5-on-3 advantage, Moncton tied the score at 7:42 when Eric Faille one-timed a cross-ice pass behind StFX goaltender Drew Owsley. Samuel Groulx and Simon Lacroix provided assists.

Struthers, with his second, gave the home team a 2-1 lead at 15:56 of the first period. Ted Stephens and Zackary MacQueen drew the assists.

In the second period, Brennen Wray doubled the X-Men lead with a shorthanded goal at 6:32. Wray was the trailer on the play when he took a pass from Bast and scored top shelf from the top of the slot. Claffey, on a two-on-one breakaway with Bast, chipped in his second assist of the game.

At 18:05, Moncton cut the lead in half when Kevin Charland avoided a Josh Day hip check and made his way around the X-Men net and out in front, where he beat Owsley with a high wrist shot. Alex Emond and Raphael Pouliot assisted on the goal.

In the third period, Moncton completed the comeback on a goal from Francis Rochon, assisted by Guillaume Parenteau and Faille. The teams remained tied 3-3 until the end of regulation.

At 2:21 of overtime, Charles Gaudet drew a four-minute penalty for high sticking Struthers, which set up the Bast power-play goal 23 seconds later.

The X-Men outshot the Aigles Bleus 38-29, including 3-1 in overtime. Owsley made 26 saves for the win.

With the victory, the X-Men improve 7-4-1 for 15 points, tying them with the Saint Mary's Huskies for fourth place in the tightly contested AUS conference.

The Acadia Axemen and UNB Varsity Reds are tied for first place with 18 points and identical 9-3-0 records.

The X-Men return to action Friday, November 23 when they visit Halifax to face the rival Huskies.

Source: StFX Sports Information
Photo courtesy of Erica Roberts