Chris Desousa’s power-play goal with just over two minutes left in the third period snapped a 3-3 tie and captain Dylan Quaile scored into an empty net in the dying seconds as the UPEI Panthers edged the Saint Mary’s Huskies 5-3 in Atlantic University Sport men’s hockey action Friday night at MacLauchlan Arena.
The nail-biting victory marked the Panthers return to regular season action following a month-long holiday break.
Desousa scored off a pass from Devin Praught to give UPEI the game-winner and bring the team’s regular season record up to 9-6.
“(It’s) a huge win,” said UPEI head coach Forbes MacPherson. “That’s AUS hockey, once you get into the second half it keeps elevating each game. I expect it to be the same tomorrow (Saturday night).”
The Panthers will face the St. F.X. X-Men tonight at MacLauchlan Arena.
Game time is 7 p.m.
Alternate captain Matt Carter opened up the game for UPEI with a power-play goal at 12:01 in the first period.
Dana Fraser also found the net at 14:15 to bring the Panthers to a 2-0 lead going into the second.
The Huskies rushed into the second with a power-play goal from Michael D’Orazio at 1:34 and another goal from Kensington’s Parker Deighan at 16:18.
UPEI’s Jared Gomes answered back less than a minute later at 16:42 to give the Panthers back the lead going into the third.
However, the Huskies tied it up again early in the third when Cory Tanaka scored on the power play at 1:23.
Shortly after, UPEI defenceman Matt Boyle took a stray Huskies shot in the face, reportedly losing a number of teeth and leaving the game.
It’s uncertain whether Boyle will be returning to the ice in tonight’s game.
“It’s one of those unfortunate injuries in hockey that’s really nobody’s fault,” said MacPherson.
“If there’s any guy here who would be able to play tomorrow night though, it would be Matt Boyle”
Desousa got the game-winner at 17:52, scoring on an opening by Huskies’ goalie Anthony Peters during a power play.
Peters stopped 27 of UPEI’s 31 shots during the game.
Panthers goalie Mavric Parks stopped 35.
The ultimate test came at 18:13 in the third, when Huskies forward Chris Mackinnon, a former junior teammate of Parks, had the chance to tie up the game during a penalty shot.
“He was always a 100-point getter and he has some tricks up his sleeve,” said Parks. “I wasn’t expecting a five-hole shot. Luckily, I got my pad down in time.”
Carter suffered a leg injury in the second period and saw limited action the rest of the way.
His status is also uncertain for tonight’s game.
