UNB Grounds Aigles Bleus

(FREDERICTON, NB) Mark Rassell (Calgary, AB) scored twice as the University of New Brunswick Reds defeated the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus 5-1 Friday night.

The Reds improve to 3-0 while Moncton drops to 2-3.

The Reds struck first at 15:46 in the first period with Matt Murphy (Woodstock, NB) sent a long stretch pass to Alex Goulet (Disraeli, QC), who crashed the net to put the Reds up 1-0.

With just 25 seconds left in the opening frame, Samuel Dove-McFalls (Montreal, QC) cleaned up a loose puck in front and put it past Alexi Thibaudeau (Gatineau, QC) to make it 2-0 Reds after 20 minutes.

UNB drew a penalty early in the second and Tristan Pomerleau (Riviere-du-Loup, QC) fed a perfect pass into the slot for Rassell, who put a shot just over the goal line as the penalty expired to put the Reds up 3-0.

"We really stressed grit and getting to the front of the net in practice this week, so it's good to see something that we're working on in practice show up in the game," said Rassell. "They weren't all that pretty, but they all look the same on the scoreboard, so we are really happy."

The Reds would swarm the Moncton net on the powerplay early in the third and Mark Simpson (Rothesay, NB) finished off a scramble play in close to make it 4-0.

Moncton would get one back at 6:35 with Edouard Michaud (Sherbrooke, QC) slipping a sharp angle shot past Rylan Parenteau (Saskatoon, SK), cutting the lead to 4-1.

The Reds would respond, again creating chaos on the powerplay, with Rassell potting his second of the game to make it 5-1.

Rassell was named Subway Player of the Game.

Parenteau made 21 saves in net for the Reds while Thibaudeau (Gatineau, QC) made 36 saves in a losing effort for Moncton.

The Reds head to PEI on Saturday to face the Panthers. Game time is 7:00pm.

Moncton heads to Halifax, on Wednesday, for their next game, against the Dalhousie Tigers. Game time is also 7:00pm.

RECAP BY: Jonathon James/for UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: Lauren Tidd/for UNB Athletics