(HALIFAX, NS) The UNB Reds beat the Saint Mary's Huskies 7-4 in a game featuring the top two teams in Atlantic University Sport.
Both teams played conservative hockey in the first period and neither team scored.
UNB broke open the scoring three minutes into the second period, on a power-play.
Huskies' goaltender Eric Brassard (St. Hubert, QC) kicked a shot away, but Tyler Boland (St. John's, NL) followed up on the rebound and shot the puck over Brassard and into the net.
UNB took a two-goal lead two minutes later when Cam Brace (Etobicoke, ON) had the puck along the right-side boards. He snapped a quick and fast shot that surprised Brassard and went over his shoulder and into the net.
Saint Mary's scored their first goal of the game at the 12-minute mark. Calder Brooks (Emerald Park, SK) shot the puck from the faceoff circle, but UNB goaltender Alex Dubeau (Mascouche, QC) made the save. The puck went back to Brooks and he immediately made a cross crease pass to Brad Latour (Barrie, ON) who shot the puck into the net.
UNB restored their two-goal lead on a power-play goal by Mark Rassell (Calgary, AB).
Three minutes into the third, the Reds took a 4-1 lead. Stephen Anderson (Morell, PE) went in on a breakaway and beat Brassard blocker side.
Rassell then stretched UNB's lead to 5-1 a few minutes later.
The Huskies answered back, on the power-play, 40 seconds later. Nicholas Welsh (Halifax, NS) ripped a shot from the point that beat Dubeau.
Boland and Joe Gatenby (Kelowna, BC) scored for the Reds to make the score 7-2.
With two minutes left in the game, Alexander Peters (Blyth, ON) and Conor McGlynn (Oakville ON) scored goals to bring Saint Mary's within three.
Dubeau stopped 19 of 23 shots for UNB, while Brassard and Marc Terriault (Montreal, QC) stopped 21 of 38 shots for the Huskies.
UNB went 4-for-10 on the power-play, while Saint Mary's was 0-for-4.
The Huskies are back in action on Saturday against UPEI.
UNB visits Acadia.
Both games are scheduled to start at 7:00pm.
RECAP BY: Josh Young/for SMU Athletics
PHOTOS BY: Nick Pearce/for SMU Athletics