McDonnell scores twice in 3-1 Huskies win over Panthers

HALIFAX, NS—The Saint Mary's Huskies bounced back with a 3-1 win over the UPEI Panthers on Wednesday night at the Dauphinee Centre in Halifax. 

Just over a minute into the game, Panthers forward Kaleb Pearson (St. Mary's, ON) was sent to the penalty box, and the Huskies were able to capitalize on the ensuing powerplay.  

Forward Bradey Johnson (Lindsay, ON) intercepted a pass in the Panthers zone and played a nifty backhand pass to linemate Nathan Dunkley (Campbellford, ON), who scored his fifth of the season to put the Huskies up 1-0, just 2:48 into the first period. 

Once back at even strength, the Panthers pursued their equalizer, but Huskies goaltender Matt Welsh (Halifax, NS), made several saves, and it was the Huskies who would find the second goal of the night.  

After a Panthers shot ricocheted off the end boards and onto the stick of forward Reid Valade (Caledon, ON), who broke out on a two-on-one with Declan McDonnell (Buffalo, NY), who fired it past Panthers goaltender Joe Ranger (Carp, PEI), to double the Huskies lead to 2-0, 12:53 into the first period. 

The Huskies outshot the Panthers 9-8 in the first period. 

In the second period, the Panthers got their opportunity at a powerplay, and cut into the lead when forward Patrick LeBlanc (Sainte-Marie-de-Kent, NB) delivered a pass to Kaleb Pearson, who teed up a one-timer past Welsh to make it a 2-1 game, 15:40 into the second period. 

Nathan Dunkley nearly continued his scoring streak in the dying seconds of the second period, but Joe Ranger made an acrobatic save to keep the Panthers within a goal, and the teams headed into the second intermission with the Huskies leading 2-1. 

The Huskies nearly extended their lead in the third period as Reid Valade came in on goal, wrapped around and fired the puck off the post, with the rebounding bouncing out onto the stick of defenceman Walter Flower III (Lunenburg, NS) who fired it into the net, but the goal was waved off due to goaltender interference.  

Saint Mary's would add an insurance goal late, after the Panthers pulled Ranger for the extra attacker. Huskies defenceman Connor Olson (London, ON) was able to dig the puck out of the corner and feed Declan McDonnell up ice, where he calmly shot it into the empty net for his second goal of the night. 

Declan McDonnell was named Player of the Game with two goals, while Connor Olson added two assists. 

The Huskies outshot the Panthers 35-32 on the night, with Matt Welsh making 31 saves in the win, while Joe Ranger stopped 32 shots in defeat.  

The Huskies win improves their record to 5-6-0 on the campaign. They'll be back on home ice this Saturday, as they host the Acadia Axemen (3-6-1) at 7 p.m. at the Dauphinee Centre. 

The Panthers loss drops their record to 3-8-0 on the season. They'll be back on the road on Friday night, as they take on the Axemen at 7 p.m. at the Andrew H. McCain Arena in Wolfville, NS.

RECAP BY: Allan April, SMU Huskies Athletics / PHOTOS BY: Mona Ghiz