REDS head to AUS final after 2-1 win over Moncton

(MONCTON, NB) The UNB REDS are moving on to the Atlantic University Sport men's hockey final, and they've earned a berth in the 2022 U SPORTS men's hockey championship, at Acadia University.

The REDS scored a 2-1 win over the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus on Sunday to win their best of three league semi-final two games to none.

Brady Gilmour (Grafton, ON) scored the game-winning goal with less than five minutes to play.

"We had a powerplay late in the game so we wanted to capitalize on it," said Gilmour. "It was a big face-off win by James Phelan and great play by Kade Landry to get the puck to me. I sent a pass down low and, lucky enough, it hit the post and went in."

That lucky bounce broke a 1-1 tie in a very tightly contested game.

The REDS opened the scoring 9:25 into the first period when team captain Samuel Dove-McFalls (Montreal, QC) beat Etienne Montpetit (Valleyfield, QC) on a wrap-around to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

The teams played through a scoreless second period that saw both Montpetit and REDS goalie Rylan Parenteau (Saskatoon, SK) make some big stops.

Moncton's Olivier-Luc Hache (Savioe Landing, NB) managed to beat Parenteau at the 6:33 mark of the third period, but that would be the only goal for the home team.

Gilmour's goal came less than ten minutes later, his second game-winner in as many games.

"It turned out that our special teams were key to our success with three big powerplay goals," said REDS head coach Gardiner MacDougall, who noted the REDS penalty kill was 100-percent effective in the series. "Credit to Brady Gilmour. He scored two big game-winning goals in an amazing return from an injury suffered during the regular season."

"Obviously, it was a great feeling to score so late in the game," said Gilmour. "The guys did a great job locking it down after that, and Rylan was awesome in net for us."

Parenteau made 20 saves in the win, while Montpetit, who left the game after the second period, stopped 22 of 23 shots. Emile Samson (Levis, QC) saw 12 shots in the third period, stopping 11 of them.

"It was a gritty, hard-fought game," said Coach MacDougall. "It was a great series and it was great to see big crowds in both rinks, super for the province."

The REDS will now host the STFX X-Men in a one-game, winner-take-all AUS Final. The date and time are to be determined.

"It was great to win the series and advance to the AUS Final," said Gilmour. "We're looking forward to competing at the national championship this year for sure, but we are focused on the upcoming game and can't wait to play it."

Recap by Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics