Attack alumni help X-Men capture AUS title

Three Owen Sound Attack alumni helped the St. Francis Xavier University capture the Atlantic University Sport hockey title on Wednesday, Mar. 12.

Nathan Chiarlitti, Holden Cook, Brandon Hope and the X-Men downed the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds by a score of 5-3 in Antigonish, Nova Scotia on Wednesday night.

The victory capped a short 2-0 series sweep of the Varsity Reds, who also boast three Attack alumni on their roster, for the X-Men.

Chiarlitti, who suited up for the Attack in the 2012-13 season, was named the Most Valuable Player of the championship series after picking up seven points in six post season games. He contributed two goals in the X-Men’s series clincher on Wednesday night.

Holden Cook, who played his entire 239 OHL career in an Attack uniform, scored twice while adding two assists in the playoff run for X-Men while being named to the AUS’s All-Rookie Team for the regular season.

Also a rookie for 2015-16, netminder Brandon Hope started four games for the X-Men on the year. Hope played 80 games for the Attack over parts of three seasons stretching from 2012-2015.

The X-Men will now enter the Canadian Interuniversity Sport national tournament as the favourite after knocking off the country’s number one ranked Varsity Reds.

Despite the loss, the Univeristy of New Brunswick have also qualified for the tournament, giving former Attack stars Rob Mignardi, Cameron Brace, and Matt Petgrave a chance to exact revenge on Chiarlitti, Cook, and Hope.

For more information on the event, which begins on Thursday, Mar. 17, and to follow all of your favourite Attack alumni and their progress, click HERE.