Huskies advance to semifinal with 3-1 win over Panthers

(Halifax, NS)  The Saint Mary’s Huskies are moving on to the AUS semifinal after defeating the UPEI Panthers 3-2 on Sunday night at the Dauphinee Centre. 

Friday’s game one was a memorable affair, as the Huskies were able to steal a 6-5 double-overtime win on the road in Charlottetown, thanks to the heroics of Logan DeNoble’s game-winning goal. Back on home ice on Sunday night, the Huskies would look to finish off the series at home and secure their spot in the semifinal. 

In the first period, the Panthers got off to an early start, recording the first eight shots of the game. The Huskies didn’t help themselves with three penalties in the first seven minutes, and the Panthers made them pay when TJ Shea banged home a loose puck on the powerplay, to give the visitors a 1-0 lead just 4:56 into the first period. Troy Lajeunesse and Kaleb Pearson were given assists on Shea’s goal.  

Moments later the Huskies got their first opportunity at a powerplay and registered several shots on goal, but Panthers goaltender Cedrick Andree turned away the chances. A few minutes later, the Huskies would find the equalizer, when Sam King (Hampton, NB) centred a puck from behind the Panthers net, and Cedric Ralph (Peterborough, ON) was able to shoot it high past Andree to tie the game at 1-1 at the 14:56 mark of the first. The Panthers had several more chances in the closing minutes of the period, but Huskies goaltender Justin Sumarah (Halifax, NS) continued his solid play to keep the game tied. 

The first period saw each team have three powerplays, and the Panthers outshot the Huskies 15-10.  

The Huskies began the second period on the powerplay and has several chances. While they weren’t able to score with the man advantage, the Panthers couldn’t clear the zone and the Huskies eventually made them pay, when Sam King was able to backhand a rebound past Andree to give the home team the 2-1 lead, 3:39 into the second period. 

The rest of the second period saw the march to the penalty box continue, as a total of eight minor penalties were called in the period. Just over halfway into the period, Lajeunesse nearly scored a powerplay equalizer, but Sumarah made a great glove save to preserve the Huskies lead. The Panthers outshot the Huskies 12-11 in the second period, but both Sumarah and Andree were solid in the crease, and the Huskies took the 2-1 lead into the third. 

Early in the third period, the Huskies had a great chance on a three-on-one breakaway, but Andree made a great save on Coxhead. 

Midway through the period, the Panthers turned it over in their own end, and Dawson Theede's (Brooklin, ON) shot was saved by Andree, but Jonathan Hampton (Richmond Hill, ON) put home the rebound to give the Huskies a 3-1 lead with just over 10 minutes remaining. 

The Huskies continued to pressure, with Bradey Johnson (Lindsay, ON) nearly scoring another one when he appeared to beat Andree but was denied by the crossbar. 

Both teams exchanged powerplay opportunities over the final minutes of the game, but the Huskies penalty kill was able to limit opportunities, and Sumarah took care of the rare shot that was able to make it through. The Panthers continued to pressure until the end, but the Huskies were able to escape with a 3-1 win, sweeping the quarterfinal series in two games. 

Huskies goaltender Justin Sumarah was named Subway Player of the Game with 40 saves. Panthers forward TJ Shea, who scored the opening goal, was named Player of the Game for UPEI. 

With the win, the Huskies will advance to the semifinal, where they will take on either the UNB REDS or STFX X-Men in a best-of-three series, pending the result of the other quarterfinal between Dalhousie and Moncton.  

Recap by Allan April / Huskies Athletics