REDS Rally Past Tommies

(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS scored a 3-1 win over cross-campus rival St. Thomas in Atlantic University Sport women's hockey action on Wednesday night.

The win extended the REDS current win streak to three games.

"I think we did a really good job of having full possession today," said REDS assistant coach Cassidy Hilworth. She's serving as the team's interim head coach while head coach Sarah Hilworth is attending the FISU World Winter University Games. "We got a lot of shots, our energy was great, I knew we were going to pull it out, I just didn't know at what point."

Tommies' starting goalie Caroline Pietroski (Etobicoke, ON) had to be on her game early.

The REDS generated about a half dozen scoring opportunities during a power-play midway through the first period, but Pietroski stopped all of them.

Moments later, the Tommies opened the scoring when Trinity Webber's (Brampton, ON) centering attempt went off a stick in front of the REDS net and past UNB goalie Cassie McCallum (Rothesay, NB).

"It hit one of their sticks and then, literally, flopped right over the back of the goalie and in. It was like a little scene from a movie," said Webber. "Going to the net with intention paid off."

In the early moments of the second period, the Tommies came close to adding to their lead when Claire Nimegeers (Wilcox, SK) fired a shot from the slot that rang off a post and out of harm's way.

Late in the period, Lily George (Nipissing First Nation) fed a pass to Payton Hargreave (Whitby, ON) who broke down the wing, swept in front of Pietroski and slid the puck into the net to tie the score 1-1.

Myah Bowal (Terrace, BC) broke the tie with the REDS working on the power-play, midway through the third, hammering home a rebound from close range.

"Stratt (Ashley Stratton) came up and took my spot, in the trigger spot, so I figured I'd better get to the net and there was a rebound, so I had to put it in, it was wide open," said Bowal, named the Subway Player of the Game.

"Coming back to the dressing room after the second period, we knew we had this, we were able to regroup and focus," added Bowal. "We were doing the good things, we just had to focus on the last period."

Less than two minutes after Bowal's go-ahead goal, Sydney Oitomen (Mississauga, ON) made good on two chances off a wrap-around attempt to make the score 3-1.

"We kind of let up and that's been a bit of a trend, but we're trying to fix that in 2023, but we haven't got there yet," admitted Webber. "We have to realize what we were doing well in the first period and then actually follow through with that to the third. It's fitness and mindset and we're trying to figure it out."

The REDS win improved their record to 17-1-1-1 and made a winner of Hilworth in her debut as a head coach at the U SPORTS level.

"I knew we were going to get the job done but going into the third I thought I might have to write some overtime stuff out, but I had full confidence in them," said Hilworth.

The REDS were also without goaltender Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, BC) and defender Jenna MacLean (Wilcox, SK). They're with Team Canada at the FISU Games as well.

"The team played well together and it probably wasn't as noticeable that we didn't have them," said Hilworth, of Woodland and MacLean. "They're great assets that we have, but we did a good job of filling in where they'd have been."

With the loss, the Tommies are now 6-12-1-0.

They'll prepare for a Saturday meeting, in Halifax, with the Saint Mary's Huskies.

The REDS head to Sackville on Saturday to face the Mount Allison Mounties.

Both games are scheduled for 7:00pm starts.

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics