Panthers Spoil Reds Home Opener

(FREDERICTON, NB) The UPEI Panthers opened the 2019-2020 Atlantic University Sport season with a 2-0 win over the UNB Reds, Friday night, at UNB's Aitken Centre.

Panthers netminder Camille Scherger (Lloydminster, AB) stopped 28 shots to earn the shut-out and Subway Player of the Game honours.

"We've struggled against these guys in the past, so we were pretty fired up go play against them in the first game," said Scherger. "Everyone was going tonight. It was fun."

There was no scoring in the first period, but the Panthers did come close.

Following a turnover at the UNB blue line, UPEI's Jenna Pellerin (Halifax, NS) broke in alone on the Reds net, but UNB goaltender Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, BC) made a sprawling save.

The visitors did get on the board early in the second, when fifth-year forward Rachel Colle (Toronto, ON) found the back of the net, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead.

Early in the third, Jolena Gillard (Deer Lake, NL), despite have two Reds defenders on top of her, managed to backhand a shot past Woodland, giving UPEI a 2-0 lead.

The Reds pressed in the latter stages of the third period.

With about four minutes to play, Sage McElroy-Scott (Morden, MB) rang a puck off the UPEI crossbar, but that was as close as the Reds would get.

"They had a bit more traffic in front in the third, that made it a bit harder, but our 'D' were awesome at boxing out, and for the most part I could see the puck really well," said Scherger.

"They definitely outworked us," said Reds forward Frederike Cyr (Candiac, QC). "They were on the puck first, and whenever we tried to get to the net, they did a good job boxing us out."

The Reds did outshoot the Panthers 28-27.

"It's difficult. We know we are the better team, we just can't get outworked, especially on home ice," said Cyr.

Neither team has much of a wait before their next action.

The Panthers return home to host the Mount Allison Mounties on Saturday night, while the Reds visit crosstown rivals, the St. Thomas Tommies. Both games are scheduled for 7:00pm starts.

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics