UNB advances to University Cup final

March 27, 2011

After a last minute win against Calgary Thursday, the UNB Varsity Reds made sure to have a statement game against Western on Saturday night.

Finishing atop Pool A, UNB dominated the Western Mustangs 4-0 Saturday night, mostly due to special teams as the team went two for eight on the power-play and killed 11 penalties of their own.

"Around this time a year if you find a way to be successful on special teams, usually you come out ahead," said UNB head coach Gardiner MacDougall.

Western Ontario head coach Clarke Singer gave the Varsity Reds the credit they deserved after having an unstoppable penalty kill.

“After yesterday’s win, we talked about how each night is a new game and that we had to be the best team on the ice. UNB was the best team tonight and they deserve to win,” said Singer.

Although it took until the second period for the Varsity Reds to find the scoresheet, it came as UNB’s Josh Kidd found himself in the penalty box 4:10 into the period. Intercepting a breakout pass, Chris Culligan broke down the ice all alone and blasted the puck past Anthony Grieco.

“There was lots of energy in the rink tonight. We got to be who we are. When we scored, the roof came off,” MacDougall. “We had lots of jump and our persistence paid off.”

UNB was held of the score sheet for the remainder of the period as they spent a good portion of the second in the penalty box, with four penalties against them.

Just as the second drew to a close Western took a roughing penalty, which set up UNB for a 1:48 power-play to start the third.

Only 45 seconds in UNB’s scoring exploded again as Luke Gallant fired a 60-footer past Grieco on the power-play to give the Varsity Reds the cushion they were looking for.

After another handful of penalties UNB found the back of the net twice more late in the period with two goals within a minute as Kyle Bailey a point shot from Gallant go off his shin pad and in, followed by Hunter Tremblay streaking down the left side and wiring it past Grieco.

UNB will now take on the No. 2 McGill Redmen tonight for the national title. Culligan says they are ready for what they will face.

“We had a chance to watch McGill today. They are very opportunistic on offence. We will have to bear down defensively, limit shots on net, and we’ll see how it goes,” said Culligan, the game MVP.

The Varsity Reds have also faced McGill this season in exhibition play, where they won 7-1.

The final starts at 8 p.m. tonight at the Aitken Centre.