Reds overpower Huskies 7-4

(Halifax, NS) The UNB Reds defeat the Saint Mary's Huskies 7-4 in a battle between the two top teams in the AUS.  Both teams played conservative hockey in the first period and neither team scored.

That changed after the first period.

UNB broke open the scoring 3 minutes into the second period on a power play. Huskies' goaltender Eric Brassard (St. Hubert QC) kicked a shot away but Tyler Boland (St. John's NL) followed up on the rebound and shot the puck over Brassard and into the net. Olivier LeBlanc (Quebec City QC) and Randy Gazzola (Thorold ON) got the assists.

UNB took a two-goal lead two minutes later. Cam Brace (Etobicoke ON) had the puck along the right-side boards in the attacking zone. He snapped a quick and fast shot that surprised Brassard and went over his shoulder and into the net. Boland and Christopher Clapperton (Cap d'Espoir QC) followed up with the assists.

Saint Mary's scored their first goal of the game at the 12-minute mark. Calder Brooks (Emerald Park SK) shot the puck from the faceoff circle but UNB goaltender Alex Dubeau (Mascouche QC) made the save. The puck went back to Brooks and he immediately made a cross crease pass to Bradley Latour (Barrie ON) who shot the puck into the net. Alexander Peters (Blyth ON) got the other assist.

UNB restored their two-goal lead on a power play goal by Mark Rassell (Calgary AB). Matthew Boucher (Los Angeles Calif) and Joe Gatenby (Kelowna BC) got the assists.

Three minutes into the third period the Reds took a 4-1 lead. Stephen Anderson (Morell PE) stole the puck inside the attacking zone; he went on a break-a-way and shot the puck past Brassard's blocker. Mark Rassell stretched UNB's lead to 5-1 a few minutes later.

The Huskies answered back on the power play 40 seconds later. Nicholas Welsh (Halifax NS) ripped a shot from the point that went past Dubeau's blocker and in. Brooks and Dylan Di Perna (Nobleton ON) got the assists.

Boland and Gatenby scored for the Reds to make the score 7-2.

With two minutes left in the game, Aaron Berisha (Mississauga ON) passed the puck to Alexander Peters just outside the top of the slot. Peters wristed a perfect shot off the right post and in.

Conor McGlynn (Oakville ON) added another goal for the Huskies in the last 30 seconds to make the score 7-4. Thomas Stavert (Summerside PE) got the other assist.

Alex Dubeau stopped 19 of 23 shots for UNB while Eric Brassard and Marc Terriault (Montreal QC) stopped 21 out of 38 shots for the Huskies.

UNB went 4/10 on the power play while Saint Mary's went 0/4.

The Huskies are back in action on Saturday against UPEI at the Halifax Forum at 7:00 p.m. It is the Huskies' last game before the winter break. UNB visits Acadia Saturday to finish the first term. 

By Josh Young for SMU

Photo Nick Pearce