(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS dug themselves out of a 2-0 early first period hole and beat the visiting Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues 4-2 on Saturday night.
The win was UNB's first of the 2022-2023 Atlantic University Sport season.
"It feels good," said REDS defender Marley Van Den Oetelaar (Whitby, ON), named Subway Player of the Game. "We had a rough start, but we got our legs back and we got our flow back and once we start playing our game, we're so competitive when we play as a unit."
Moncton opened the scoring at 1:19 of the first period, taking advantage of a UNB giveaway. Lianne Desforges (Clarence-Rockland, ON) tipped a pass past REDS goalie Kendra Woodland (Kamploops, BC).
The visitors doubled their lead on another REDS miscue, Flavie Gaydon (Morzine, France) scored on a quick wrist shot.
Moncton led 2-0 after 20 minutes, but a re-energized REDS team emerged for the second period.
At the 5:33 mark, Lindsey Smith (Lower Onslow, NS) fired a shot from the blue line that found its way to the back of the net.
"It was a great feeling and I think it set the momentum for the rest of the game and the flood gates opened," said Smith.
33 seconds later Van Den Oetelaar tied the game on a shot through traffic.
Lauren Carter (Milton, ON) gave the REDS their first lead of the season, getting her own rebound and beating Moncton goalie Audrey Berthiaume (St-Bruno, QC) on a highlight reel goal at 16:39 of the second period.
Payton Hargreaves (Whitby, ON) rounded out the REDS scoring, using teammate Tamina Kehler (Chilliwack, BC) as a decoy and firing a hard wrist shot past Berthiaume late in the third.
"We were down on ourselves, but we got together, had a talk and said let's pick this up and that's what we did," said Smith.
Hargreaves finished the night with her goal and an assist.
First-year defender Lauren O'Neil (Osgoode, ON) registered two assists.
"Everyone on this team can play a role," said Van Den Oetelaar. "It doesn't matter who puts the puck in the net as long as we're all working hard and we get the result we want."
Woodland made 13 saves on 15 shots to earn the win, while Berthiaume faced 34 shots, making 30 saves.
"We just stopped playing. Literally stopped playing," said Aigles Bleues' head coach Marc-André Côtè, "After the first, it was obvious that they turned up the heat and I'm just disappointed in the way the girls reacted. We tried fighting back in the third, a little bit, but it was too little, too late."
Next up for Moncton, a visit to Charlotteetown, to face UPEI. That game goes Wednesday evening at 7:00pm.
The REDS visit Mount Allison on Friday. Game time is 7:00pm.
RECAP: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS: Jeff Crawford/for UNB Athletics