Panthers' rally falls short in 4-2 loss to UNB

FREDERICTON, NB—The UNB REDS held off a late charge by UPEI Saturday night, scoring a 4-2 win over the Panthers in Atlantic University Sport play. 

Lily George (Nipissing First Nation) scored the REDS eventual game-winner and added an assist, while Jenna MacLean (Wilcox, SK) had a pair of assists. 

"We're feeling pretty good," said George, named Subway Player of the Game. "We kind of let them come back a bit, but we fought hard to the end, so it was good to get that W." 

The REDS opened the scoring at the 12:13 mark of the first period, on the power-play. 

Frederike Cyr (Candiac, QC) tipped a shot by Emma Giordano (Ancaster, ON) past Panthers' goalie Camille Scherger (Lloydminster, AB) to put the home team in front early. 

With less than a minute to play in the first, Ashley Stratton (Mount Pearl, NL) added to UNB's lead. 

The REDS went up 3-0 George's power-play goal, at 11:57 of the second period. She redirected Lauren Carter's (Milton, ON) point shot. 

"I was standing in front of the net, trying to get a good screen on the goalie," said George. "It was good to get a good PP goal. I was looking for her to take that shot and hopefully get my stick on that and it just went in." 

The teams then combined for three more goals in a 2:05 span in the third. 

McKinley Nelson (Calgary, AB) put UPEI on the board when she redirected a Jolena Gillard (Deer Lake, NL) pass on the power-play. 

But just 11 seconds later, Tamina Kehler (Chilliwack, BC) restored UNB's three goal lead. 

Then, with the Panthers short-handed, Taylor Gillis (Summerside, PE) got behind the REDS defence and broke in alone, beating UNB goalie Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, BC) with a backhand. 

"I went down low to force the play, so I was kind of behind a bit and their player bumped it back to their D and she didn't see me coming so I poked it by her, got a breakaway and deked the goalie," said Gillis. 

The Panthers would pull Scherger in favour of an extra attacker over the final two minutes of play, but they couldn't find another goal and UNB won by the two-goal margin. 

"We definitely came out pretty slow," said Gillis, of the Panthers' effort. "We had a good fight back in the third. We're just trying to figure out how to play a full 60 minutes." 

With the win, the REDS improve to 8-1-0-1 and sit atop the AUS standings, with the Saint Mary's Huskies. 

"Everyone was buzzing from the get-go, so it's a happy room right now," said MacLean. "It's a big win for us. PEI brings a really physical game. They finish all their checks and bump us hard, so it was a tough one for us." 

UPEI's record falls to 6-2-0-1. They play host to Moncton next Saturday.

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics 

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics