Varsity Reds top Huskies 2-1 to move on to AUS finals

The UNB Varsity Reds picked up a 2-1 victory over the Saint Mary's Huskies to win their Subway AUS Championships Semifinals series 3-1.

Just like in game three, the Huskies had a short bench with only 14 skaters dressed.

"It is what it is," said Huskies head coach Trevor Stienburg. "You have to be proud of the fact that to play in these games you need guys who will lay it on the line and the guys did. There's some guys in there that are pretty sore from blocking shots."

"That's a hell of a hockey team [in the Varsity Reds] with skill and they were pumping shots and we're trying to get in front of them. It's not fun but we're going to live to fight another day and that's what we'll do."

Cole Cheveldave (Calgary, AB) was sensational again for the Huskies. He made 33 saves in the loss including several highlight reel stops.

"Chevy was unbelievable the last two games," said Stienburg. "Both of our goaltenders have been awesome. I couldn't be prouder of both."

"Chevy turned a lot of heads tonight."

Christopher Clapperton (Cap Espoir, QC) and Mark Simpson (Fredericton, NB) scored for the Varsity Reds.

Hunter Garlent (Thorold, ON) picked up the lone tally for the Huskies.

Etienne Marcoux (Terrebonne, QC) made 10 saves in the win.

Clapperton opened the scoring 11:57 into the game. With a faceoff on the right dot outside the Varsity Reds Blue line Cam Braes (Shawinigan Lake, BC) won the draw clean back to Randy Gazzola (Thorold, ON) who quickly went to his D-partner Matt Murphy (Fredericto,n NB).

Murphy put a lead pass on Clapperton's tape for a blue line breakaway. Clapperton made a sweet move to the backhand and shelfed it for a beautiful goal.

Garlent tied it up with 56-seconds left in the first. Alex Cord (Toronto, ON) cleared the puck away from the front of the Huskies net to Anthony Repaci (Toronto ON) at the top of the right circle.

Repaci hit Garlent with a stretch pass for a blue line breakaway of his own. Garlent worked in and took a quick shot that went clean through the five-hole.

Cheveldave made the save of the game with just over six-minutes left in the second. Gazzola chased the puck down in the Varsity Reds zone and banked a stretch pass to Clapperton at the Huskies blue line.

Clapperton fed Braes in the slot and Braes made a spin-o-rama pass to Philippe Maillet (Terrebonne, QC). Maillet ripped a one-timer from just under the right dot and Cheveldave made a spectacular save coming across and swatting it away with his glove.

Simpson picked up the series winner with a shorthanded marker 3:07 into the third. Rob Mignardi (Richmond Hill, ON) chipped the puck to Simpson in the neutral zone.

Simpson carried across neutral zone and into the Huskies zone on the right wing.  He fanned on his first shot attempt from the top of the circle and was able to reach behind him, corral the puck and fire it towards the net. The puck hit a shin-pad in front and ricocheted in.

The Huskies got the extra attacker out in the final minute but were not able to find an equalizer.

Both teams came up empty on the power-play. The Varsity Reds went zero for six, while the Huskies were zero for four.

Shots were 36-11 in favour of the Varsity Reds.

Up Next:

The Varsity Reds move on to face the StFX X-Men in a rematch of last years AUS Championships. The Huskies will face the Acadia Axemen in the consolation finals to determine the third entry from the AUS in the University Cup.

by Cam Honey-Webb

Photo Nick Pearce