REDS Power Past Axemen

(FREDERICTON, NB) The U SPORTS No. 2 ranked UNB REDS scored three times in the third period to beat the Acadia Axemen 6-3, in Atlantic University Sport men's hockey action, Friday, at UNB's Aitken Centre.

Austen Keating (Guelph, ON) scored twice for the REDS while former Axemen Ross MacDougall (St. Stephen, NB) had three assists and was named Subway Player of the Game.

"We all feel pretty good about this one," said MacDougall. "Our results at home after Christmas haven't been the greatest, but we're back on track with a really nice win."

The visitors opened the scoring midway through the first period.

With the Axemen working the penalty kill, Nick Deakin-Poot (Georgetown, ON) forced a UNB turnover at the REDS blueline then took the puck the other direction and beat Griffen Outhouse (Williams Lake, BC) with a wrist shot.

Despite being outshot 15-7, Acadia led 1-0 after 20 minutes.

A wild second period saw five goals scored.

Just 12 seconds in, UNB's Adam McCormick (Waterville, NB) sprung Keating on a breakaway and he beat Zachary Paputsakis (Rockland, ON) in the Acadia net.

Issac Nurse (Hamilton, ON) and Jason Willms (Kitchener, ON) would also score for the REDS in the second, while Brendan Sellan (Hanover, ON) and Corson Hopwo (Duncan, BC) replied for Acadia.

Benjamin Corbeil (Granby, QC), Camaryn Baber (Sault Ste. Marie, ON) and Keating, with his second of the game, scored UNB's goals in the third.

"We believe in ourselves," said MacDougall, of the REDS' third period. "We believe in our conditioning and preparation and that led to us having confidence going into the third and we got the job done."

"I thought it was an outstanding game," said Axemen head coach Darren Burns. "I think, structurally, we were outstanding. Obviously, they've got a high-powered offence, but if you're a knowledgeable hockey person, you're going there's a team that played well."

The REDS peppered Paputsakis with 35 shots, while Outhouse faced 18.

"When you're playing them, the margin of error is so small," said Burns. "If you make mistakes, even small ones, you're going to pay and we paid, but I loved our game tonight. I thought it was a good, physical, clean game and once they start revving their engine, they go. It kind of got away from us at the end."

With the win, the REDS are now 21-3-1-1 (W-L-OTL-SOL) and first in the AUS standings.

Acadia is 9-14-2-1 and sits in sixth place.

The REDS are back in action on Saturday, when they host the Saint Mary's Huskies, while the Axemen visit les Aigles Bleus, in Moncton.

Both games are scheduled for 7:00pm starts.

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: Fran Harris/for UNB Athletics