(FREDERICTON, NB) Cam Brace (Etobicoke, ON) had a goal and an assist as the UNB Reds beat the UPEI Panthers 4-3 in their home opener on Friday night.
"The boys came out and we were ready to go… we've got a lot of talent in our room and a lot of character guys," said Reds captain Marcus McIvor (Whitby, ON) when asked about the game.
Before the game a moment of silence was held for the victims of the Fredericton Shooting on August 10th, as well as those who lost their lives in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash of April 6th. Former Broncos forward Nick Shumlanski (Tisdale, SK) was in the lineup for UPEI.
Just 2:15 into the game Chris Clapperton (Cap d'Espoir) placed a perfect pass into the slot for Kris Bennett (Brampton, ON) who made a nice move to deke Panthers goaltender Simon Holfey (Ottawa, ON), giving the Reds a 1-0 lead.
Brace capitalized on some great work down low just 1:04 later to make it 2-0 early on for UNB.
Panthers forward Cody Payne (Davie, FL) responded later in the period, stripping Reds defenceman Matt Murphy (Woodstock, NB) for a breakaway to cut the lead to 2-1. The Panthers had more chances in the back half of the period, but Rylan Parenteau (Saskatoon, SK) came up big to keep the Reds ahead after 20 minutes.
Six minutes into the second period, Stephen Anderson (Morell, PE) corralled a loose puck in front of the UPEI net and picked the top corner to put UNB up 3-1.
The Panthers once again pulled within one when Kameron Kielly (Charlottetown, PE) broke down the right wing and in behind the Reds defense, finishing the play with a deke to make it 3-2.
Gabe Guertler (Plantation, FL) capitalized on a late penalty by the Reds to tie the game with less than three minutes left in the period.
The Reds would regain the lead on a powerplay of their own. Freshman Joe Gatenby (Kelowna, BC) put a point shot through traffic for his first goal in a UNB uniform at 6:41 of the third.
The Reds would fend of another late period powerplay from the Panthers to seal their first win of the season.
"I just felt like we weren't getting enough shots through," said Gatenby. "I saw a lane and a good screen in front and I just tried to put it a couple feet off the ice on the side of the net and I don't think the goalie saw it, so it was a good screen by the guy in front."
Gatenby was named Subway Player of the Game
Final shots in the game were 37-22 for UNB.
Matthew Boucher (Los Angeles, CA) had two assists in his Reds debut.
Guertler and Kielly each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers.
Parenteau made 19 saves in the win for the Reds while Hofley had 33 saves in the Panthers net.
Next up for the Reds, a matchup with les Aigles Bleus, Saturday night in Moncton. Game time is 7:00pm.
The Panthers will host Moncton on October 10th.
RECAP: Jonathan James/for UNB Athletics
PHOTOS: James West/for UNB Athletics