T-Birds Down REDS

(SASKATOON, SK) The UNB REDS season came to an end in a 4-0 loss to the UBC Thunderbirds in the consolation semi-finals at the U SPORTS women's hockey championship,  in Saskatoon on Saturday.

"We played well and battled hard today," said veteran goaltender Kendra Woodland. "After a quarter-final loss, those games can be hard to get up for but I think despite the result, we can know within ourselves that we gave all we could."

The REDS opened the first period with a near-miss opportunity. 

At 17:38, on a UNB powerplay, Payton Hargreaves unleashed a shot, which produced a rebound for Jorja Nystrom, which UBC's Elise Hugens had to dive cross-crease to stop. The puck spit out to the stick of Lily George, who aimed her shot high at the empty top half of the net. Hugens dove yet again, only getting a piece of the shot, but enough to keep it out.

The Thunderbirds cracked the scoreboard first, just past the 13:00 mark.

Breaking down the wing, Joele Fiala fired a shot that beat Woodland five-hole. 

On a REDS penalty kill in the second period, UBC scored another from the blueline with a multiple-player screen in front of Woodland. 

Woodland responded a few minutes later, stopping a breakaway and collecting the same player's rebound with a flashy glove save. 

But the Thunderbirds found the back of the net again, finishing the second period up 3-0 on UNB.

"It's definitely not the way we envisioned our season ending," added Hargreaves. "We talked a lot about putting it all out on the line for the girls sitting next to us, specifically the seniors who are unfortunately leaving us and who have built this program from the ground up. I'm proud of each and every one of the women who pulled on that jersey today, because there wasn't any let down until the last whistle."

Having come back from three-goal deficits before, the REDS were hopeful to draw even with the Thunderbirds.

During the second intermission, interim head coach Kyle MacDonalds delivered a message.

"The message was that we owed it to ourselves to leave it all on the ice and fight our hardest to get back in the game."

Opening the final frame, UBC would manage another goal, taking a 4-0 lead.

The REDS fought hard for the entire 60 minutes, but struggled to get the puck through a strong Thunderbirds defence and Hugens, who stopped 15 shots. 

"I think, this season, our team came together very well," Woodland said. "Especially having a large young recruiting class, we did very well with our ups and downs throughout the season. I think playoffs was our turning point in coming together and focusing on what we can contribute to our team success. Our momentum from those moments carried through all the way to the end. I'm really proud of this group."

Woodland made 40 saves on 44 shots, earning UNB's player of the game honours. 

"Looking back on the year, if you would have told me at the start that we would have won the AUS championship for the third year in a row, as well as making a national appearance for the third time, I wouldn't have believed you," said Hargreaves. "It was a season full of unknowns, from a new head coach, to nine new players entering the roster, and not knowing what to expect from other teams. But we were able to make the most of it and find success in the small and big things. We came together as a team and that's all I could have asked for."

The loss marks the end of careers for the five key members of the team, including Woodland and forward Lily George, two members of the REDS' original recruyiting class in the new era of women's hockey at UNB.

Woodland and George, along with Emma Giordano, Reagan Minor, Lindsey Smith, and AUS Playoff MVP Sydney Oitomen, finish their careers as three time AUS champs. 

"It's impossible not to be proud of how the team came together this season," added MacDonald. "The leadership group did a fantastic job of setting a positive standard for a winning culture. It was special to see the progression of our first years evolve into impactful AUS players. Expectations are very high for next season."

RECAP BY: Madison Tucker/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: Univ. of Saskatchewan Athletics