Maillet's Hat-Trick Leads UNB Over Dal

(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB Varsity Reds scored four power-play goals on route to a 5-1 win over the Dalhousie Tigers on Saturday night, at Fredericton's Aitken University Centre.

Philippe Maillet(Terrebonne, QC) scored three goals, all of them on the power-play, to lead the home team. He also added an assist.

Philippe Halley(Quebec City, QC) and Chris Caissy(Campbellton, NB) also scored for UNB.

Alex Dubeau(Mascouche, QC) stopped 18 of the 19 shots he faced to earn the win in the Varsity Reds net.

Myles McGurty(Hoboken, NJ) scored the Tigers' lone goal.

Halley opened the scoring, at 11:28 of the first period. He was left all alone in front of the Tigers net and easily beat Jacob Fancy(Lower Sackville, NS) to give UNB the early lead.

Maillet's first came with 1:06 left to play in the period, and sent the Varsity Reds to the first intermission with a 2-0 lead.

Caissy struck less than four minutes into the second, and Maillet's second goal followed less than six minutes later.

UNB led 4-0 after two periods.

Maillet completed his third hat-trick of the regular season at 12:37 of the third, beating Fancy between the legs.

McGurty scored less than two minutes later, but the game was out of reach for Dal.

"That Maillet just keeps filling the net on us," said Tigers head coach Chris Donnelly. "I don't know what it is, but he seems to get quite comfortable when he plays against us."

The last time the Tigers faced the Varsity Reds, Maillet scored three goals and the shoot-out winner in a huge UNB comeback.

Happy with the win, Maillet says his big night is just him doing his job.

"I'm just here to give my hundred percent every night and whatever happens, happens," he said. "It's not a question of points, it's the way I play… two way, fore-check, back-check, I just want to be there and help my teammates to win."

"I've known him since we were 10 or 11 years old," said Dubeau, of Maillet. "Phil Maillet is a special guy. We're lucky to have him and he's on a roll this year, but it doesn't surprise me. He works hard in practice, he's our ultimate leader, that's for sure."

Tigers' defenceman Luke Madill(Red Deer, AB) admits his team gave UNB too many chances.

"UNB has one of the best power-plays in the league, if not the country. Unfortunately, we took a few penalties, they capitalized, as they do, and I think that was the real difference maker today," he said.

"Five on five, I felt we were skating with them, being physical, getting pucks in deep and taking it to them in the offensive zone five on five, but their power-play was good," said Madill.

The Tigers broke UNB's shut-out bid with less than six minutes to play, and just moments after Dubeau had stoned Tanner Williams(Iroquois, ON) on a breakaway.

McGurty's shot was tipped.

"It was a lucky bounce," said Dubeau. "A little tip, but it's alright, it's all part of the game. The most important thing is that we got the win. We got two pretty good wins this weekend, we're pretty happy."

The Tigers skate back into action on Wednesday, when they host St. FX.

The Varsity Reds visit Saint Mary's and Acadia next weekend.