Varsity Reds secure 5-2 win over X-Men at home

It was a rough and tumble game, but the UNB Varsity Reds came out on top in a 5-2 win over the St. FX X-Men at the Aitken Centre.

This is the first meeting between the two rivals this season, and both teams came out fired up for a good battle. 

UNB got on the scoreboard in a hurry, with their first goal at 3:16. Matt Boudens found the net for the V-Reds with the assist from Randy Gazzola and Dylan Willick.

The next goal wouldn't come until over 12 minutes into the second. That's when RD Chisholm, who just finished a four-year stint with the X-Men, fired a quick shot past St. FX goalie Drew Owsley. The assist went to captain Cam Critchlow and Matt Boudens.

UNB would rack up a third goal at 15:20 - this time on the power play. Peter Trainor dumped it in the net with an assist from Randy Gazzola and Matt Petgrave.

St. FX got on the scoreboard late in the second with two goals in quick succession. Nathan Chiarlitti had the X-Men's first goal at 16:33 with an assist by Ted Stephens and Jarrad Struthers. And almost exactly a minute later, Robert Slaney narrowed the score to 3-2 with an assist by Jagger Dirk and Eric Locke. Both goals came on power plays as well as the penalty minutes started to build up. 

The Varsity Reds came onto the ice with renewed energy in the third, set to play a strong final twenty minutes. Three minutes in saw a neat pass to recent roster addition Francis Beauvillier who snapped it in. Assists went to Jordan Murray and Matt Boudens.

UNB would cap off the evening with a fifth and final goal at 18:43. Taylor MacDougall knocked it into an empty net after the X-Men pulled the goalie for an extra attacker. The assist would go to Matt Boudens again. 

Varsity Reds head coach Gardiner MacDougall says the win is a big result for the team who improved as the game went on.

"David Shantz stood tall for us early. He made some big saves for us, and then we got some momentum," MacDougall said.

"They're a good rival and that goes a long way back," he added. "They're going to be the national hosts so every time the two teams play, you're going to get better. You gotta get better or you don't find a way to get the result."

The Varsity Reds play next on Wednesday, October 22, when they host St. Thomas at 7pm.

The X-Men host Acadia at the same time.