(FREDERICTON, NB) Brady Gilmour (Grafton, ON) scored a pair of second period goals to lead the UNB REDS in a 5-0 victory over the Concordia Stingers Saturday afternoon in the 2023 Holiday Classic, presented by Peterbilt Atlantic and Bilijk First Nation.
The U SPORTS exhibition game was a re-match of quarter-finalists from the 2023 University Cup tournament, in Charlottetown, a game the REDS won 2-1.
After a scoreless first period, the defending national champions and U SPORTS' current top-ranked team erupted for three goals in the second, including Gilmour's pair.
The veteran forward opened the scoring at the 6:34 mark, scoring UNB's first goal on their 19th shot of the game.
Just before the 15:00 minute mark, Kale McCallum (Rothesay, NB) scored on a slap-shot from just inside the Concordia blue line.
Two-and-a-half minutes later, Gilmour scored his second in similar fashion.
"It was just a really good job by my linemates, especially Keats," said Gilmour, named the Tim Horton's Player of the Game. "He was in front of the goalie on all three goals that period. He did a great job taking a beating in front of the net. He doesn't get credit for the goals, but he's probably the main reason they went in."
Macauley Carson (Midhurst, ON) and Camaryn Baber (Sault Ste. Marie, ON) added goals in the third period.
Austen Keating (Guelph, ON) and Adam McCormick (Waterville, NB) each had two assists.
Samuel Richard (Ste. Catherine, QC) and Griffen Outhouse (Williams Lake, BC) shared the UNB shutout. Each made ten saves on a total of 20 Concordia shots.
Jordan Naylor (Aldergrove, BC) and Nikolas Hurtubise (Mirabel, QC) split time in the Stingers' net. Naylor gave up one goal on 24 shots while Hurtubise, a former Saint John Sea Dog, made 14 saves on 18 shots.
"There's a lot of positives," said Stingers' head coach Marc André Elément. "It was not an easy task to play the number one team in the country and do it with a short line-up, but it's all good. We have some good tape to look at and learn from and hopefully we'll be facing them another time in a couple of months."
With the win UNB remains unbeaten in exhibition and regular season play.
"It's good to play a top opponent from another league," said Gilmour. "It gives us a different look. We're happy they came down and happy the way it turned out."
The game was played before an Aitken University Centre crowd of 2530.
The Stingers are 10-5-2-0 (W-L-OTL-SOL) and sit fifth in the OUA East.
They return to regular season play Friday when they visit Toronto Metropolitan University.
The REDS are 18-0-0-0 and sit atop the Atlantic University Sport standings.
UNB resumes their regular season schedule Friday as well. The REDS host the STFX X-Men. Game time is 7:00pm.
RECAP AND PHOTOS BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics