Golden Bears win U Sports men’s hockey title with victory over X-Men

University of Alberta Golden Bears defenceman Clayton Kirichenko celebrates after defeating the St. Francis Xavier University X-Men 4-2 to win the David Johnston University Cup at the Canadian university men's hockey championship gold medal game in Fredericton on Sunday, March 18, 2018. (Andrew Vaughan/CP)

FREDERICTON — Wil Tomchuk scored the go-ahead goal in the second period and the Alberta Golden Bears came back to defeat the St. Francis Xavier X-Men 4-2 Sunday in the U Sports men’s hockey final.

Stephane Legault, Luke Philp and Jamie Crooks, into an empty net, also scored for the Golden Bears, who won the David Johnston University Cup for the third time in five years and a U Sports-leading 16th time overall.

"I’ve raised this trophy once as a player and it’s now three times as a coach and my first time as a head coach," said Golden Bears head coach Serge Lajoie. "I told the guys between the second and third period that Clare Drake would be very proud of us."

Daniel Robertson and Michael Clarke, on a power play, gave the X-Men an early 2-0 lead before Alberta stormed back.

Zach Sawchenko made 24 saves for the Golden Bears. Chase Marchand stopped 23 shots for StFX.

Earlier, Alexandre Goulet scored his second goal of the game in overtime as the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds edged the Saskatchewan Huskies 5-4 to claim the bronze medal.

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