(CHARLOTTETOWN, PE) UNB Reds goaltender Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, BC) was near perfect Friday night as she led her team to a 2-1 win over the UPEI Panthers.
Woodland turned aside 34 shots, but was especially big in the third period where she recorded 20 saves on 21 shots.
"UPEI is a team we can't let off against," said Woodland, named Subway Player of the Game. "They're sneaky, they're a good hockey team, and we know we have to bring our best."
The REDS came out as the aggressors and blitzed the Panthers from the opening puck drop. They were rewarded with a goal at 2:24 when Paige Grenier (Olds, AB) flipped a backhand shot by goaltender Sarah Forsythe (Riverview, NB), who recorded 27 saves in the loss.
UPEI had a bit more urgency after surrendering the goal and matched UNB's physicality and pace for the remainder of the period, and throughout a scoreless second period.
Down a goal heading into the third period, the Panthers were much livelier on the attack, with most of the action taking place in the offensive zone.
They outshot their opponent 21-10 and eventually found the equalizer at 7:56 when Kaiya Maracle (Toronto, ON) put away a rebound off a shot from McKinley Nelson (Calgary, AB).
Despite the lone blemish, Woodland may have been the best player on the ice, as she consistently denied UPEI's furious attack and gave her team a chance to win.
UNB got their chance late in the period when the Panthers were forced to kill a penalty with less than four minutes remaining.
On the ensuing power-play, Lillian George (Nipissing First Nation) fired a shot off Forsythe, leading to a long rebound that Tamina Kehler (Chilliwack, BC) put away with a backhand shot for the winning goal.
The first-place REDS, who finish atop the Atlantic University Sport standings with a 23-2-1-2(W-L-OTL-SOL) record, have earned a first-round bye and won't play again until the conference semi-finals.
The Panthers, now 16-9-1-1, look to close their regular season with a win Saturday night when they host the Mount Allison Mounties.
RECAP BY: Thomas Becker/UPEI Athletics
PHOTOS BY: Janessa Hogan/for UPEI Athletics