Aigles Bleus defeat Huskies 4-3 in shootout

HALIFAX, NS – Despite another two goals from the country's leading scorer Reid Valade, the Huskies were defeated 4-3 in a shootout by the Moncton Aigles Bleus in Atlantic University Sport men's hockey action on Saturday night at the Dauphinee Centre in Halifax.

The Huskies were able to generate several early scoring chances, but Aigles Bleues netminder Olivier Adam (Drummondville, QC) was sharp, including an outstanding glove save on Huskies defender Luke Vardy (Hammonds Plains, NS).

The Aigles Bleus opened the scoring 15:11 into the first period, with forward Olivier Luc Hache (Savoie Landing, NB) scoring off a two-on-one with Jules Boilard (Sherbrooke, QC), moments after a Moncton powerplay expired.

Saint Mary's outshot Moncton 15-7 through the first period, but it was the visitors who took a 1-0 lead into first intermission.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ��

Moncton leads Saint Mary's 1-0 through the first period.

Watch live: https://t.co/Z4QdbG1sv8 pic.twitter.com/TIfz5LLB1k

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) November 30, 2025

Midway through the second period, the Huskies had a five-on-three powerplay, and nearly scored but forward Ben Allison (Halifax, NS) fired a shot off the crossbar.

With just over a minute remaining in the period, the Huskies finally found their equalizer, as forward Liam Arnsby (Ajax, ON) carried the puck into the Aigles Bleus zone and was knocked off by a defender, but Davis Cooper (Hammonds Plains, NS) jumped on a rebound and fired a top corner goal to tie the game at 1-1, 18:42 into the second period.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ��

Davis Cooper fires it top corner to tie the game 1-1 late in the second period!

��D. Cooper (2)
��L. Arnsby
��C. Olson pic.twitter.com/GMoZ5tQjGo

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) November 30, 2025

The Huskies outshot the Aigles Bleues 13-12 in the second period, and the two teams went into second intermission deadlocked at 1-1.

Moncton regained the lead just 31 seconds into the third period, as after a centre-ice face-off, Mika Cyr (Sainte-Anne, NB) dangled between defenders and finished with a backhand through Ben West's five-hole, giving the Aigles Bleus a 2-1 lead.

Saint Mary's tied it up five minutes later, thanks to the top scoring line in the country. Forward Charlie Da Fonseca (Thornhill, ON) took the puck behind the Aigles Bleus net and played a pass to Ben Allison (Halifax, NS) who quickly delivered cross-crease pass on the money to Reid Valade (Caledon, ON) for a one-timer goal to tie the game at 2-2, 5:34 into the third.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ��

The top scoring line in the country does it again! Reid Valade scores his U SPORTS leading 17th goal in as many games, tying the game at 2-2 early in the third period!

��R. Valade (17)
��B. Allison
��C. Da Fonseca pic.twitter.com/mTKTQunhFW

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) November 30, 2025

But the Aigles Bleus took the lead again less than a minute later, as forward Yann-Felix Lapointe (Granby, QC) jumped on a loose puck and fired a top corner shot, putting Moncton ahead 3-2, 6:11 into the period.

With just over two minutes remaining, the Huskies pushed for an equalizer and the countries leading scorer delivered, with Reid Valade snapping a shot past a heavily screened Adam for his second goal of the night, tying it up 3-3, 17:39 into the third.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ��

Reid Valade cannot be stopped! His second goal of the night and fifth in the last two games ties the game 3-3 late in the third period!

��R. Valade (18)
��C. Olson
��C. Da Fonseca pic.twitter.com/dAYHLE1Mmi

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) November 30, 2025

With under 10 seconds remaining in regulation, Moncton forward Philippe Collette (Saint-Antoine, NB) fired a laser shot that looked to have West beat, but ricochetted off the post, sending the game into overtime.

Overtime solved nothing, with both goaltenders making several quality saves, and the two teams went into a shootout.

In the shootout, Olivier Adam stopped Charlie Da Fonseca, and Mika Cyr scored to put Moncton ahead 1-0. Then Ben Allison was stopped by Adam, but Jules Boillard was denied by Ben West to give the Huskies another chance. Adam stopped Reid Valade, and the Aigles Bleus won the game 4-3 in a shootout.

The Huskies outshot the Aigles Bleus 44-29 on the night, with Olivier Adam stopping 41 shots for the win, while Ben West turned away 25 shots in defeat.

The Aigles Bleus win improves their record to 13-4-1-0 on the campaign. Moncton will return to action on Wednesday, January 7, as the visit the UPEI Panthers (10-8-0-0) at 7 p.m. in Charlottetown, PEI.

The Huskies earned a single point, and their record stands at 9-6-0-2 heading into the December break. Saint Mary's will return to action on Saturday, January 3, as they host the Dalhousie Tigers (1-14-1-1) at 3 p.m. at the Dauphinee Centre.

Recap by Allan April / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
Photos by Eduardo Ibarra / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics