(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS unveiled their latest national championship banner Friday night, then began defence of the University Cup with a convincing 8-0 win over the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus in Atlantic University Sport men's hockey action at UNB's Aitken Centre.
Austen Keating (Guelph, ON) and Benjamin Corbeil (Granby, QC) each scored twice for the REDS and Samuel Richard (Ste. Catherine, QC) made 30 saves for the shutout.
"There was a lot of goal scorers tonight, a lot of guys played really well in the offensive zone, and I think a great part of our team was in the D-zone, we were still blocking shots, playing for our goalie and him getting the shutout was an even bigger achievement," said Keating, named Tim Horton's Player of the Game.
Richard, the reigning AUS and U SPORTS Rookie of the Year, was called on early. Twice in the opening 15 minutes he made stops on Aigles Bleus forwards on breakaways.
Then, with less than 15 seconds left in the first, REDS' captain Jason Willms (Kitchener, ON) put a shot on the Moncton net that was tipped in front by Keating to give the REDS a 1-0 lead.
"I think we had a great first period, but that was a bad bounce, the goal with about 13 seconds left," said Moncton head coach Derek Cormier. "It kind of changed the mood in the room after the first period, but we have to realize it's a 60-minute game."
UNB exploded for four goals in the second.
Newcomer Sean McGurn (Ottawa, ON) scored just 1:42 into the period.
Corbeil got his first 25 seconds later.
He struck again midway through the second before Keating got his second with 61 seconds left in the frame.
In the third period, Cody Morgan (Gilford, ON) and Cole MacKay (Sault Ste. Marie, ON) scored powerplay goals 2:40 apart to make it a 7-0 game and chase Moncton goalie Olivier Adam (Drummondville, QC) from the game.
Félix-Anthony Ethier (Deux-Montagnes, QC) played the remainder of the game, allowing a late goal by Michael Petizian (Mississauga, ON).
"With the team they have, if you let up for even a fraction of a second, as we did tonight, they get you," said Cormier. "We'll take it as a learning tool and move on to next weekend."
Kale McCallum registered three assists for the REDS and McGurn had a pair of helpers to go along with his goal.
"It was a pretty cool environment to be part of," said Keating, of the pre-game ceremony to unveil the REDS' 2023 national championship banner. "It's something I'll never forget."
"When you come to UNB, your goal is to win a national championship," he added. "That's our goal from September 1. We talked about it earlier and to be able to achieve that is a great feeling, but in saying that, we want to do it again this year."
Moncton, now 0-2, doesn't see action again until next Friday when they host STFX. The REDS go on the road Saturday to face the UPEI Panthers. Game time is 7:00pm.
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics