CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The UNB Red scored two goals in the first 10 minutes of Tuesday’s game and it was enough to defeat the host UPEI Panthers 3-1 in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men’s hockey action.
The U Sports top-ranked Reds shellacked the Panthers 11-0 Friday in Fredericton, N.B., but the rematch was a much closer affair.
Mark Rassell scored 2:09 into the first period at MacLauchlan Arena and Kris Bennett doubled the lead at 10:12.
The Reds took the 2-0 lead into the first intermission and looked primed to add to it when Panthers rookie forward Darian Pilon was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for head contact on a hit on Tyler Boland at the Reds blue-line 11 minutes into the second period.
The Panthers killed the major penalty and had a chance to cut the deficit in half late in the period, but they could not beat Reds goalie Rylan Parenteau. Panthers winger Troy Lajeunesse took a four-minute high sticking penalty with 1:16 left in the middle stanza, but the home side killed the penalty.
UPEI got one back on a power play four minutes into the third when Filip Rydstrom scored. Kyle Maksimovich had the lone assist.
Matthew Boucher restored the two-goal lead 5:26 later on a power play to round out the scoring. Tristan Pomerleau had two assists for the Reds while singles went to former Charlottetown Islander Alexandre Goulet, Samuel Dove-McFalls, Brady Gilmour and Rassell.
Parenteau stopped 24 shots for the win while Simon Hofley made 31 saves in the loss.
UNB was 1-for-4 on the power play while UPEI was 1-for-5.
The Reds, coached by Bedeque native Gardiner MacDougall, have won six straight games, have already clinched a playoff spot and lead the AUS with an 18-4-0 record.
UPEI (8-11-3) is fifth in the seven-team conference. The Panthers have eight games remaining in the regular season. They head to Halifax Friday to play the last-place Dalhousie Tigers (5-15-2) before hosting the St. FX X-Men (8-11-3) Saturday. Puck drop for both games is set for 7 p.m.
