(FREDERICTON, NB) Lucky number 13.
The UNB Varsity Reds won their thirteenth straight Mark Jeffrey Memorial Game, Wednesday night, and they did so emphatically… beating the St. Thomas Tommies 8-2.
Philippe Maillet scored twice and assisted on three other goals. Cam Braes had two goals and an assist. Jordan Murray had three assists, while Matt Petgrave and Chris Clapperton each had a goal and an assist. Peter Trainor and Taylor MacDougall also scored for UNB.
"The Mark Jeffrey Game is a game that we take pride in," said Maillet. "It's important for us and I guess I was motivated and wanted to win."
The Tommies started strong, forcing the Varsity Reds to defend during the first five minutes of the game and outshooting UNB in the early going.
But, Taylor MacDougall's fifth goal of the season, just before the six minute mark burst the bubble. Petgrave and Braes, with his first of the night and season, set the Tommies back on their collective heals. Maillet's first of the game gave the home side a 4-0 lead after 20 minutes.
St. Thomas started the second period with a bang.
Eric Diodati scored just 17 seconds in, giving the cross-campus visitors a boost.
Trainor would get his goal before Bryce Milson pulled the Tommies to within three again.
The Tommies would get the next goal as well, but into their own net. Off a face-off in the St. Thomas zone, Marc-Andre Levesque's clearing attempt was off its mark. It rang off the post and behind Tommies' netminder Tyson Teichmann. Maillet got credit for the goal.
Braes, with his second of the game, and Clapperton would add goals to make it 8-2. That score would prevail through the third frame.
"We were just all over the puck," said Maillet about his line's offensive outburst. "When you have the puck, you don't have to worry about defence and just some creativity and guys were finding open spaces."
Tommies' head coach Kyle MacAllister liked his team's start and their third period, but not much else. "We're still learning how to be involved in those games," said MacAllister. "They're(UNB) relentless, they push on you all the time and they capitalize on your mistakes, they have that skill and you have to try and limit those."
The win was the eighth straight AUS win for the Varsity Reds. "This team is really good," said Chris Clapperton.
He joined the Varsity Reds after the Christmas break, after starting the season in minor pro. "It's fun, I enjoy every game, because it's a pretty good team and we want to win."
Clapperton went as far as to suggest the Varsity Reds might be better than the Orlando Solar Bears, of the East Coast Hockey League, the team he began the season with.
UNB welcomes the UPEI Panthers to the Aitken Centre, on Friday night. Game time is 7:00PM.
The Varsity Reds go on the road on Saturday, visiting les Aigles Bleue, in Moncton.
Before Wednesday's game, Varsity Reds forward Rob Mignardi was presented with the Mark Jeffrey Memorial Scholarship Award.
The game was one of four throughout Atlantic University Sport which celebrated Bell Let's Talk Day.
Bell uses the day to raise money and awareness for mental health issues.
Varsity Reds swimmers and Tommies women's basketball and women's hockey players helped Bell distribute Let's Talk toques and noise makers to the more than 2800 in attendance.