Huskies win in OT

Munden’s extra-frame goal sinks Dal

By GLENN MacDONALD Sports Reporter

November 29, 2009

Justin Munden’s overtime goal, on a brilliant second effort, may have been just what his Saint Mary’s Huskies needed to get out of their funk.

The Huskies edged the Dalhousie Tigers 6-5 Saturday night at the Halifax Forum to snap a three-game Atlantic university hockey losing streak.

Munden fired a shot near the right faceoff circle that was stopped by Dalhousie goalie Bobby Nadeau. But the puck was loose behind Nadeau and a relentless Munden dove head-first and swiped the puck into the open cage 14 seconds into the extra period.

"I thought the boys were giving their second effort and that’s what we need from this team: everyone working hard and giving that second effort throughout the game," said Munden, a third-year forward.

"It’s definitely a big win for us. The last couple of games we didn’t get the result we were hoping for. It’s still the first half. We all know we have a lot of potential in that dressing room. We just have to keep working hard and staying positive. The results will come."

Dalhousie actually led 5-3 midway through the third period before the Huskies’ Marc Rancourt and Cam Fergus, with his second of the game, tied it.

Andrew Hotham and Cody Thornton also scored for SMU (8-3-2). Hotham had four assists and Fergus added two helpers.

The Huskies have only two games remaining before the Christmas break but they’re against teams they’re battling in the standings — the CIS No. 1 UNB Varsity Reds (13-0-0) and the St. Francis Xavier X-Men (7-4-3)

"We have to make the best of the next couple of games," Munden said. "They are tough games, teams in the top rankings. We have some work ahead of us before the break."

Brendon MacDonald, Jeff Larsh, Kenzie Sheppard, Jeff MacGregor and Ronald Kelly answered for the Tigers (3-8-3), in their final game of the first half.

It was Dal’s eighth loss by two or fewer goals this season. The Tigers earned their third win of the season Friday night — one away from matching last season’s total — with a 6-4 victory over St. F.X. at Dal Memorial Arena.

"The last few games we have built our confidence; every game we seem to be getting better," said Larsh, the Tigers’ fourth-year captain. "We try not to concentrate on last year. We’re all buying in and playing the systems and that’s been the difference from last year. We have four lines that each can play. Every line can do the job and they’re doing the job."

Axemen 4, X-Men 3 — At Wolfville, David Lomas and Andrew Clark each had a goal and an assist as Acadia slipped past St. F.X.

Philippe Bertrand and Paul McFarland also scored for the Axemen (11-3-0). Spencer McAvoy, Matthew Bragg and Murdock MacLellan scored for the X-Men.

• In other action, UNB beat St. Thomas 3-2 in overtime and UPEI dropped Moncton 3-1.

Other Friday results included Acadia edging SMU 4-3 in overtime, UNB beating Moncton 7-5 and St. Thomas trimming UPEI 7-6.

• In women’s hockey Saturday:

Tigers 6, Huskies 3 — At Dal Memorial Arena, Jocelyn LeBlanc scored two goals and added an assist as Dalhousie doubled Saint Mary’s.

Robyn Nicholson, Fielding Montgomery, Sarah McVey and Kaitlyn McNutt also tallied for the Tigers.

Jenna Currie, Danielle MacDougall and Melissa Young answered for SMU.

• Also on Saturday, Moncton blanked St. Thomas 1-0 and UPEI defeated Mount Allison 3-1.

In the lone AUS women’s game played Friday, St. F.X. dumped SMU 6-1.