Silver linings: Patriotes edge Huskies 3-2 in overtime thriller for U CUP championship

The Huskies set the tone early, with Liam Arnsby and Ben Boyd laying several big hits, energizing the home crowd of over 7,386 fans.

With defenceman Ethan Ritchie banking a pass off the boards right to forward Jake Uberti who broke out on goal and lifted a forehand shot over the shoulder of Patriotes netminder William Grimard to give Saint Mary's an early 1-0 lead, 1:30 into regulation.

A big goal from Jake Uberti has given the Huskies a lead in the 1st period. 1-0 game!

Watch live: https://t.co/WmckkQaNFY

Un gros but de Jake Uberti procure l'avance aux @SMUHuskies en première période. C'est 1-0 !

Suivez en direct : https://t.co/WmckkQaNFY pic.twitter.com/Dk6DBc2W4t

— U SPORTS (@USPORTSca) March 22, 2026

The Huskies had another outstanding chance minutes later, as forward Derek Gentile deked past a defender at the blueline and lifted a shot but Grimard made a great save to keep the Patriotes within a goal.

SMU continued to win puck battles and set a physical tone, as the team exchanged several penalties in the opening frame, but Grimard and Huskies goaltender Marcus Vandenberg were both sharp in nets, making several quality saves.

The Patriotes outshot the Huskies 15-14 through the opening 20 minutes, but it was the hosts that took a 1-0 lead into first intermission.

Nearly seven minutes into the second period, UQTR equalized as forward Pier-Olivier Roy was able to stuff in a puck through a scramble of bodies in the crease to tie it at 1-1, 6:49 into the second.

But just over a minute later, the Huskies took the lead again, with U SPORTS second team All-Canadian Reid Valade feeding linemate Ben Allison, who pulled of a sweet toe-drag move past a defendehis own and was able to stuff in a rebound to put the hosts ahead 2-1, 8:16 into the period.

A shot from Ben Allison has made it 2-1 SMU!

Watch live: https://t.co/WmckkQaNFY

Le tir de Ben Allison trouve le fond du filet et c'est maintenant 2-1 pour @SMUHuskies !

Suivez en direct : https://t.co/WmckkQaNFY pic.twitter.com/QJMFKevTIh

— U SPORTS (@USPORTSca) March 22, 2026

With just over a minute remaining in the period, the Patriotes tied it up, as Saint Mary's turned it over in the neutral zone and the UQTR counterattack saw a give-and-go between Charles Beaudoin and Felix Lafrance, with Beaudoin finishing it to tie the game at 2-2, 18:47 into the second period.

Saint Mary's outshot UQTR 11-5 in the second period, taking a 25-20 advantage for the game, but the two teams went into second intermission deadlocked at 2-2.

The Patriotes got an extended powerplay opportunity to begin the third period, as Huskies forward Will Chisholm was given a four minute penalty for kneeing, but Saint Mary's were able to kill off the dangerous UQTR powerplay, thanks largely to a tremendous blocked shot from defenceman Ethan Ritchie, and solid positional saves from Vandenberg.

Vandenberg continued his outstanding play, robbing Beaudoin on a backdoor feed to keep the game tied. The rookie netminder continued to be calm under pressure, making a huge save on a point-blank shot from Patriotes forward Kassim Gaudet.

A huge save from Marcus Vandenberg to keep this a 2-2 game!

6:13 left in the third period.

Watch live: https://t.co/WmckkQaNFY

Énorme arrêt de Marcus Vandenberg. C'est toujours 2-2 !

Il reste 6:13 à jouer en 3e période.

Suivez en direct : https://t.co/WmckkQaNFY@SMUHuskies pic.twitter.com/05hVKGvq0p

— U SPORTS (@USPORTSca) March 22, 2026

The intensity of a do-or-die final was palpable, as neither team wanted to make a mistake over the final few minutes of regulation, and no mistakes were made - just exhillirating, end-to-end action, with great blocked shots and goaltending from Vandenberg and Grimard, and regulation solved nothing as the two opponents would decide the U Cup Champion in overtime.

Saint Mary's outshot UQTR 11-7 in the third period, and took a 36-27 advantage into sudden-death OT.

The first few minutes of overtime were William Grimard's time to stand on his head, making several greats saves, especially an absolutely robbery of Ethan Ritchie with a glove save off of a rebound. The Huskies continued to generate great scoring chances, outshooting the Patriotes 11-6 in the overtime frame.

But in a sudden-death overtime, all it takes is one shot to win, and that shot came courtesy Patriotes forward Felix Lafrance, as off of a face-off win in the Huskies zone, Lafrance fired a harmless looking wrister from the blueline that took a funny bounce and beat a heavily screened Vandenberg for the overtime winning goal.