CIS University Cup hockey game goes 5 hours in quadruple overtime

If the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men's hockey teamseemed a little sluggish atpractice on Friday, theyhad a good reason for it.

On Thursday, the team played in a quarterfinal game attheCIS University Cup in Halifax thatstretched into a fourth overtime period.

"It was pretty intense. When you make it to seven periods in a game, tensions are going to be pretty high," said left-winger Parker Thomas.

126-minutes of hockey

The players played hockey for more than126 minutes beforeThomas scored for a3-2 win over the Carleton Ravens.

"I'm just glad I could finish it and get some guys some rest," said the second-year player.

The game started at 4 p.m. and took more than five hours to complete, delaying the otherquarterfinal gamescheduled to start at 8 p.m.The St. F.X. X-Men didn't take the iceto play the University of Alberta until after 10 p.m.

Playing a full 60-minute hockey game aloneis taxing enough, and players were worn outby the fourth overtime period, Thomas said.

"I'm sure you could tell watching the game. The pace got much slower," he said.

And the pain onlygot worse once the game ended and they made it to the locker room.

"A lot of guys were cramping up, couldn't move," said Thomas.

Players hit the cold tubs to help fuel their recovery for their next game, which is a semi-finalon Saturday.

Record-setting game

The game set a record forlength innational championship tournament history, eclipsing a 2002 game that featured an extra 43:17 of extra play. Thursday's game had66:11 of overtime play.

Thomas says he and his teammates all agreed on one thing.

"We'll be telling our kids about this one," he said.