Reds edge Panthers on late goal

(FREDERICTON, NB)—The UNB REDS scored a late power play goal to beat the UPEI Panthers 3-2 on Saturday night. 

Jason Willms (Kitchener, ON) fired a wrist shot that beat Panthers' goalie Jonah Capriotti (Mount Hope, ON) on the glove side with just 3:19 to play. 

"Luckily Ross (MacDougall) made a nice pass and found me there in the middle, and I just tried to use my speed and keep my feet moving, and luckily, it went in," said Willms, named the Subway Player of the Game. 

"I had a chance earlier in the game, in the first period, where I was trying to go low glove. I saw the little space there, between his glove and his pad, and tried to put it there as hard as I could and it went in." 

While the REDS won for the 18th time this season, they found themselves down in the early going. 

The Panthers opened the scoring, just 2:10 into the game. 

TJ Shea (Tignish, PE) sped down the right wing and beat REDS goaltender Rylan Parenteau (Saskatoon, SK) with a wrist shot. 

The REDS came close tying the score with about four minutes left in the period when Isaac Nurse (Hamilton, ON) cruised over the blue line and let a wrist shot fly. It ricocheted off the post. 

UNB did even the score, on the powerplay, at the 17:58 mark. 

Mark Rassell (Calgary, AB) pounced on a rebound to make it a 1-1 game. 

The REDS took a 2-1 lead at 6:02 of the second period. 

Kade Landry (Gowanstown, ON) scored his first Atlantic University Sport goal when he banked the puck off Capriotti from behind the Panthers' net. 

UPEI tied it 2-2 a short time later, on a goal by Richard Whittaker (Holland Landing, ON). 

Parenteau and Capriotti were both called upon to make saves in a back-and-forth third period. 

The game seemed destined for extra time before Willms' goal. 

"All game, I had it, straight on shots," said Capriotti. "I was doing so well, taking away straight on shots, but that puck just dipped underneath my glove. It was a good shot, the guy made a good play." 

"51 shots is tough to win a game on," he added. "I thought we had a chance. I knew it was going to be close. They just got a good break and they capitalized on it. One shot, the difference in the score." 

Adam McCormick (Waterville, NB) and Ross MacDougall (St. Stephen, NB) both had two assists for the REDS, while Parenteau made 26 saves for the win. 

Capriotti stopped 48 of the 51 shots he saw. 

"I think it was a good effort, a complete effort from our group tonight and we got rewarded in the end," said Willms. 

With the win, the REDS improve to 18-and-2. 

UNB visits Acadia next Friday. 

The Panthers are now 9-8-2-1 and will travel to Antigonish to take on St FX, on Friday. 

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics 

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics