UNB Rallies To Beat SMU

(HALIFAX, NS) The UNB Varsity Reds scored three times in the third period to score a come-from-behind 4-2 victory over the Saint Mary's Huskies on Saturday night.

The win gives the Varsity Reds a 5-0-1 record. They sit one-point back of the undefeated StFX X-Men in the Atlantic University Sport standings.

The Huskies fall to 3-2-1, good for fourth spot.

"When it mattered, they were sharper than us, they were better prepared," said Huskies head coach Trevor Stienburg. "That's gotta come from practice habits and that's on the coach, mainly the coach, and the players."

Stephen Anderson(Morell, PE), Oliver Cooper (Fredericton, NB), Olivier Leblanc (Quebec City, QC), with his first as a Varsity Red, and Kris Bennett(Brampton, ON), with an empty-netter, scored for UNB.

Alex Dubeau(Mascouche, QC) made 18 saves in the win, improving his record to 4-0-1.

Mark Trickett(Baddeck, NS) and Hunter Garlent(Thorold, ON) scored for the Huskies.

Trickett opened the scoring with a power-play goal 8:34 into the second.

Anderson tied it just 25-seconds later.

Garlent put the Huskies out front 2-1 at the 14:30 mark of the second and Saint Mary's took that lead into the final period.

Cooper knotted the score 2-2 on the power-play, 7:54 into the third. He tipped a Randy Gazzola(Thorold, ON) shot in front of the SMU net.

Leblanc gave the Varsity Reds the lead with another power-play marker 13:01 into the third.

Bennett popped his empty-netter with nine seconds left in the game.

"They got the job done," said Stienburg. "You can break it down as much as you want, the bottom line is they forced us to take the penalties and they converted on them. At the end of the day we had chances to score goals and we didn't."

Shots on goal were 31-20 in favour of the Varsity Reds.

Both teams are back in action on Friday. The Varsity Reds host Acadia at 7:00pm. The Huskies visit the UPEI Panthers.

RECAP BY: Cam Honey-Webb for SMU Athletics

PHOTOS BY: Nick Pearce for SMU Athletics