U Cup Champs and Perfect
(TORONTO, ON) The UNB REDS completed a perfect season, capturing the 2024 University Cup with a 4-0 victory over the UQTR Patriotes, Sunday evening in Toronto.
Austen Keating scored a goal and added two assists to lead the REDS.
He was one of four REDS named to the tournament all-star team.
"This is the reason you come to UNB," said Keating. "You come to be in these moments, play in these games. Give them credit, I think they played a great game, but I think we saved our best for last. Sammy was exceptional, all tournament long, especially this game, our six defenceman were unbelievable, and our forwards were helping them shut it down so it was a great team overall win."
The REDS were first on the scoreboard, thanks in part to Keating.
At 7:52 of the opening period, moments after killing off an early penalty, Keating flipped the puck ahead to Brady Gilmour. He outraced a Patriotes' defender and slipped the puck past UQTR goalie Alexis Gravel, much to the delight of a UNB-friendly crowd at Toronto Metropolitan University's Mattamy Athletic Centre, formerly Maple Leaf Gardens.
Gilmour was named the tournament MVP and a member of the tournament all-star team.
"You could've picked any guy for this," he said. "At the end of the day, I'm not focused on that. We did something really special this year and I'm so proud of this group."
The REDS added to their lead at 15:03 when Cody Morgan broke into the slot and managed to beat Gravel.
There was no scoring in the second, a period dominated by defence and goaltending.
Keating's goal came early in the third, and Isaac Nurse added an empty-netter with just 37 seconds to play.
Samuel Richard made 23 saves for his fourth consecutive U Cup shut-out, a streak that extends to the 2023 championship game. Richard and defenceman Kale McCallum were the other REDS named tournament all-stars.
The win was the 43rd in 43 games, exhibition, regular season, and playoffs, for the REDS this season.
"I don't think anyone ever has that vision, but every coach would dream of it," said REDS' head coach Gardiner MacDougall, of his team's perfect season. "I don't think anyone really realized it until Christmas and then the stats start showing up, but they loved the process, they relished and had joy in it, it wasn't too big."
"We knew we were going to get good competition up here and today was a really good team that we played," added MacDougall. "It was key to get the lead, protect it, good saves by Sam, good shot blocks, and then we got a chance to extend it and we did that three times."
The REDS did not allow a goal in their march to UNB's 10th University Cup and ended the season on a shut-out streak of more than 298 minutes, going back to the opening game of the Atlantic University Sport final.
"What this group has done is historic," said MacDougall. "To go through the AUS, we know how competitive that league is, and to come to this tournament and go through with three wins and three shutouts is historic. Full credit to the group, they just continued to find ways to get better every time they got on the ice."
"This is our goal," said Gilmour, pointing at the University Cup. "It's not to win the regular season, it's not to win the AUS championship. It's to lift that trophy at the end of the day and to be able to do it, in the way we did, I'm just so proud of this group. It's awesome."
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTO BY: Curtis Martin/for Toronto Metropolitan University Athletics