(CHARLOTTETOWN, PE) The UNB REDS will play in the championship game of the 2023 Cavendish Farms University Cup after a 6-3 win over the UQTR Patriotes in Saturday's semi-final, at the Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown.
Isaac Nurse scored twice and recorded an assist and Ross MacDougall had three assists to lead the REDS.
MacDougall was named the U SPORTS Nike Team Player of the Game.
"I think I struggled with the puck in game one, so I wanted to be better with that today," said MacDougall. "I just sort of found the forwards and they did a good job of getting the puck in the net, so all credit to them."
The REDS burst out of the gate, scoring just 16 seconds into the game.
Captain Jason Willms moved quickly through the slot to grab a loose puck in front of the UQTR net, firing it past Patriotes' goalie Alexis Gravel.
Late in the first, with UNB working with a 5-on-3 advantage, the REDS got the puck to Benjamin Corbeil at the side of the UQTR net. His one-timer gave UNB a 2-0 lead.
The Patriotes used an early second period power-play to trim UNB's lead to 2-1, but about two minutes later Camaryn Baber fed Cole MacKay in the slot and his long wrist shot beat Gravel to restore the REDS two-goal advantage.
The REDS added to their lead before the end of the second.
At the 13:47 mark, MacDougall fed Emmett Sproule who lifted a shot over Gravel to put UNB up 4-1.
Through 40 minutes, the REDS outshot the Patriotes 30-10.
"I think the game got off to a good start. If you can script that, you'll take it any time," said REDS' head coach Gardiner MacDougall. "We got a little separation with our second goal, and I thought the second period was a separation period for us."
In the third period, the REDS engaged a stifling defence that didn't allow UQTR much room to move, and midway through the period, Nurse scored his first to push UNB's lead to 5-1.
Still, the defending national champs pushed back, scoring twice in a four-minute span before Nurse scored his second, into an empty net, to make the final 6-3.
"The key anytime, but especially here at nationals, is to get the lead and protect it and, if you get the chance, to extend it, and our group did all three tonight," said Coach MacDougall.
"I think we used our speed and played our strengths, got below their goal line and played where they didn't want to and ultimately that led to our success," said MacKay.
UNB's trip to the national final comes a year after the REDS were upset in the opening round.
That sting has been fuelling UNB's current quest.
"Even the guys that didn't feel the heartbreak last year, they came in and worked hard, they worked for us," said the veteran defenceman MacDougall. "I think it feels great, but we're definitely not satisfied yet."
"We felt the heartbreak that they had last year," said MacKay. "As a first-year group, I think there's twelve of us, we wanted to come in and play a role and get these guys to where we belong and where we want to be, and we're not done."
"Tomorrow (Sunday) is the biggest game of the year and we'll be ready," he added.
The REDS will face the 5th seeded Alberta Golden Bears in Sunday’s championship game.
Alberta beat the host UPEI Panthers, the tournament’s No. 8 seed, 4-1 in the second of Saturday’s semi-finals.
Sunday’s national championship game is scheduled to begin at 7:00pm.
UPEI will face UQTR for the bronze medal in a game that is scheduled for 1:00pm on Sunday.
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: Janessa Hogan/for UPEI Athletics