REDS Open With Win

(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS began the 2024-2025 Atlantic University Sport men's hockey season the same way they ended the 2023-2024 season… on a winning note.

The REDS shut-out the visiting Dalhousie Tigers 5-0 Friday night at UNB's Aitken Centre.

The game, played before a crowd of 3106, was the home opener for the REDS and season-opener for both teams.

"It's good to get the first one out of the way, for sure, even against Dalhousie," said REDS forward Emmett Sproule (Collingwood, ON), who scored a goal and assisted on two others in the win, earning Tim Horton's Player of the Game honours. "They came out strong for us, but as a young group, it feels great to get that first win and we're just going to build after that."

UNB opened the scoring at the 12:36 mark of the first period when Camaryn Baber (Sault Ste. Marie, ON) fired a puck from the slot that snuck under Tigers' goalie Robbie Forbes (Oakville, ON).

With time winding down in the period, first-year REDS forward Peter Reynolds (Fredericton, NB) found a bouncing puck in front of the Tigers net and shovelled it past Forbes, sending the REDS to the first intermission with a 2-0 lead.

The REDS doubled their lead in the second period on goals by Sproule and Cole MacKay (Sault Ste. Marie, ON).

"Kale (McCallum) came over the blue line and made a great pass to me, nice little saucer, laid it out for me," said Sproule, of his goal. "I skated into it, made a nice move and went five-hole. Great goal for me, great pass by Kale."

After 40 minutes, the REDS were outshooting the Tigers 42-10.

Benjamin Corbeil (Granby, QC) added UNB's fifth goal, less than three minutes into the third period.

Despite surrendering all five REDS goals, Forbes was solid in the Tigers net, stopping 55 of the 60 shots he faced.

The REDS made a winner of Rob Hennigar in his regular season debut as UNB's head coach.

Hennigar replaced Gardiner MacDougall, who retired earlier this year after 24 seasons behind the REDS bench.

"It's all the same to me," said Hennigar. "I feel just the same as I did last year as assistant coach as I do in this win tonight."

Samuel Richard (Ste. Catherine, QC) stopped all 13 shots he faced in the REDS net.

"I thought we were okay overall," said Coach Hennigar. "A little sluggish to start, two bad penalties I thought, but other than that I thought we came back and dominated as the game progressed. There were a lot of good efforts. Sam was solid in net. Top to bottom, I'll take it."

Up next for the REDS, a Saturday visit from the STFX X-Men. Game time is 7:00pm.

The Tigers will be in Moncton on Saturday to take on the Aigles Bleus. That game is scheduled for a 7:00pm start as well.

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics