Tigers blanked by UNB

Arfa Ayub, Staff Contributor

It was a disappointing start to 2011 for the Dalhousie Tigers men’s hockey team. They lost 5–0 to the UNB Varsity Reds last Friday (Jan. 7). The Tigers dominated UNB and won 6–3 last time they faced the Reds, but this time they played like a team whose defence forgot they had a game to play. The Tigers were shutout for the third time this season.

Dal started the first period strong, playing physical and not allowing UNB to gain the attacking zone. Halfway through the period UNB took over the game. After a hard hit by Dal defender Justin Javorek UNB’s Kyle Bailey had trouble getting up and had to be helped off the ice. He did not return for the rest of the game.

The hit triggered a momentum spark for UNB as they went on to score the next three goals. UNB’s Jonathan Hardy scored during the next play after speeding past Dal’s defence and made it 1––0. With 6:36 left to play in the first, UNB nearly scored a shorthanded goal on a breakaway chance. Spencer Corcoran scored to make it 2–0 late in the first period. Josh Clendenning followed up 22 seconds later with just under three minutes left to play.

The second period was not much better for the Tigers. They allowed two more goals by defender Josh Kidd and centre Ryan Seymour which made it 5–0, putting UNB in complete control. After the fourth goal Tigers head coach Pete Belliveau replaced starting goalie Bobby Nadeau with backup Josh Disher.

The lone bright spot for the Tigers in the period had been when they effectively killed off a five-on-three powerplay to keep the game from completely getting out of hand. UNB’s Chris Culligan nearly made it 6– 0 during the last minute of the third as he sped into the attacking zone on yet another breakaway chance allowed by Dal’s defence. Fortunately, Disher made a great sliding save.