Reds Win At X

Reds forward Ashley Stratton moves with the puck during Saturday's 2-1 win at St FX. (Photo: Britt Pigat/for St FX Athletics)
Reds forward Ashley Stratton moves with the puck during Saturday's 2-1 win at St FX. (Photo: Britt Pigat/for St FX Athletics)

(ANTIGONISH, NS) The UNB Reds scored a pair of goals early in the second period to beat the St FX X-Women 2-1, on Saturday.

Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, BC) was stellar in the Reds nets, turning aside 38 pucks for the win. She was named Subway Player of the Game.

The first period saw each team exchange scoring chances, but both were held off the scoresheet.

The Reds had an early four-minute power play opportunity but were unable to score. 

The X-Women pressured late in the period firing shots on the Reds net, but Woodland held her ground. Lindsey Donovan (Mirimichi, NB) had a great chance in tight but was turned aside by Woodland.

St FX outshot the Reds 13-9 in the opening period. 

The Reds turned the game around with two quick second period goals in the opening three minutes.

Ashley Stratton (Mount Pearl, NL) shoveled in a loose puck in front of the X net after Jamie Johnson (Victoria, BC) made a pair of initial saves but could not corral the rebound.

Katherine Chadwick (Kanata, ON) also capitalized on a rebound to score the Reds second goal.

The X-Women pressured for the remainder of the period but were unable to solve Woodland. She stopped Tyra Meropoulis (Edson, AB) on a nice chance with five minutes left and a Lydia Schurman (Summerside, PE) shot late in the period.

The Reds almost made it 3-0 when Emma Borbandy (Langdon, AB) rang one off the crossbar, but the X-Women escaped down two goals after 40 minutes, having outshot the visitors 10-6 in the period.

While fighting off another four-minute penalty, Meropoulis got the X-Women on the board with a shorthanded marker at 8:47. She stole a puck off a Reds player trying to break out of the zone, skated in and ripped a high shot past Woodland. 

X kept the momentum going throughout the third period, but Woodland was a wall in the UNB net.

Final shots in the game were 39-17 for St FX.

With the win the Reds improve to 4-2 on the season. The X-Women are also 4-2 and now tied with the Reds for third place in the Atlantic University Sport standings.

UNB next sees action on Wednesday, when they host St. Thomas in a 7:00pm game.

The X-Women play next at Mount Allison, on Friday.

RECAP BY: KRISTA McKENNA/St FX Athletics

PHOTOS BY: BRITT PIGAT/for St FX Athletics