Reds thump Panthers 8-0

The UNB REDS put forth a strong effort at both ends of the ice in a dominant 8-0 win over the UPEI Panthers on Saturday night, in Charlottetown. 

Sean McGurn (Ottawa, ON) led the REDS with two goals while Benjamin Corbeil (Granby, QC) and Macauley Carson (Midhurst, ON) each had a goal and an assist. 

Panthers goaltender Jonah Capriotti (Charlottetown, PEI) put forth a valiant effort on a tough night with 36 saves. 

The REDS came out firing with 11 unanswered shots to begin the game. 

Capriotti stood tall, making several difficult saves in the opening frame, including one off a blast from Cody Morgan (Maple, ON) from the faceoff dot and a wrister from the slot by Carson in the final minute of the first. 

UNB opened the scoring at 11:47 with Morgan finding Emmett Sproule (Collingwood, ON) with a backdoor pass for the 1-0 lead. 

Jason Willms (Kitchener, ON) banged home the 2-0 goal 30 seconds later, which would be the score after 20 minutes. 

Shots were 16-1 REDS after the first. 

3:20 into the second, McGurn stole the puck in the Panthers' zone and put home an unassisted goal to make it 3-0 UNB. 

Five mins later, the REDS forced another turnover in UPEI's zone and Austen Keating (Guelph, ON) fed Brady Gilmour (Grafton, ON) in front who made no mistake putting home the 4-0 goal. 

Corbeil added a third REDS goal in the period to make it 5-0. 

Cade Kowalski (Morden, MB) made a couple great moves to break towards the REDS net with five minutes left in the second, but couldn't beat Griffen Outhouse (Williams Lake, BC). 

Capriotti made a great save on a one-timer from Willms on a late UNB powerplay with just over two minutes left in second. 

This would help UPEI kill off the man-advantage to keep the score at 5-0 after 40 minutes. 

Shots were 33-4 after the second. 

3:30 into the third, Capriotti flashed the leather on a streaking Isaac Nurse (Hamilton, ON). 

The UPEI netminder would be called upon again moments later for another big stop, this time on Willms on a 2-on-1 break. 

Capriotti added one more highlight at the 10-minute mark, robbing Adam McCormick (Waterville, NB) who was all alone on the UPEI doorstep. 

A short time later, UNB put home a trio of goals in a 1:23 span, McGurn's second and single markers for Carson and Nurse, to make it 8-0, which stood as the final score.  

Final shots were 44-7 for the REDS, with Outhouse earning the shutout. 

UNB remains undefeated at 10-and-0 while UPEI falls to 3-and-7. 

The REDS are back in action next Friday when they visit the Dalhousie Tigers. Game time is 7:00pm. UPEI travels to play the Saint Mary's Huskies on Wednesday. Game time is 7:00pm.

RECAP BY: Jonathon James, UNB Athletics