(FREDERICTON, NB) After stealing a victory from the UPEI Panthers in their own home opener on Friday, the UNB REDS weren't about to take any chances on Saturday.
The REDS scored four times in the second period to beat St. Thomas 5-2, in the Tommies' home opener.
Despite the win, the game did not start well for the REDS, who lost starting goaltender Hailey Martens (Ladysmith, BC) to an injury before the five-minute mark.
"I didn't even say anything, they just said let's do this for Hailey," said REDS head coach Sarah Hilworth. "As much as you don't want that to be the spark of the game, I think the girls had something bigger to play for today. It's nice to see them support each other and have the backs of their teammates."
Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, BC) took over in the UNB net, stopping 21 of 23 shots on what was supposed to her night off.
The REDS opened the scoring at 13:59 of the first when Sage McElroy-Scott (Morden, MB) redirected a beautiful pass from Amanda Desrochers (St. Francois Xavier, MB) past Tommies' goalie Caroline Pietroski (Etobicoke, ON).
"I saw Amanda across the ice and she looked at me too and she knew I was there and she had a really nice pass, made it pretty easy for me," said McElroy-Scott.
The Tommies would tie it 1-1 on a similar play, at 17:04. STU's Olivia Reid (Aurora, ON) with the goal.
The REDS roared to life in the second.
McElroy-Scott scored her second of the night, on a rocket of a shot, at 4:33, and Payton Hargreaves (Whitby, ON) followed with her third goal in two games, at the 6:33 mark.
UNB added another at 13:39, when Emma Giordano (Ancaster, ON), pinching in from her blue-line position, rifled a shot past Pietroski.
The REDS fourth goal of the period came at 17:56. Frederike Cyr (Candiac, QC) skated to the top of the slot and unleashed a wrist shot that beat Pietroski, giving UNB a 5-1 lead after 40 minutes.
Tommies' forward Emma Wilson (Midhurst, ON) scored the only goal of the third period, making the final score 5-2.
"It's exciting to see the depth starting to come with our team," said Hilworth, speaking of the big games for some of her newer players. "We've been, typically, maybe a one or one-and-a-half-line team. Now, seeing these kids come in, in their first year of AUS competition, and have some success early on, it's exciting. We knew that they were going to be good players in our league and I think they can now see themselves as contributors and being able to help us contend for an AUS championship."
With two goals and an assist, McElroy-Scott was named Subway Player of the Game.
She says the win was for Martens.
"Hailey's a huge part of this team, obviously, and it sucks, right at the start of the game, but the win is for her."
Hargreaves finished the night with a goal and two assists, while Desrochers had two assists and Giordano had an assist to go with her goal.
Their 2-and-0 record gives the REDS a share of first place in the Atlantic University Sport standings, along with St FX and Saint Mary's.
The REDS go on the road next weekend, facing the Huskies on Friday and the X-Women on Saturday.
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: Shawn Murphy/for STU Athletics