Taylor Gills scores twice, as Panthers even series with 3-1 over UNB

FREDERICTON, NB—The UPEI Panthers were looking for a better start to the second game of the best-of-five Atlantic University Sport semi-final against the UNB REDS Thursday night at UNB's Aitken Centre. 

They got it. 

After a 3-0 loss in the series opener Wednesday night, the Panthers turned the tables, scoring three goals on eight first period shots against UNB goaltender Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, BC), and held on for a 3-1 win to tie the series. 

Panthers goaltender Sarah Forsythe (Riverview NB) made 32 saves to earn the win. 

"Holy, we really bounced back from (Wednesday) night, I'd say," said Forsythe, named Subway Player of the Game. "We came out flying. The first 20 minutes were unreal. We kept it going through the next 40. I'm real proud of our team and proud of how I played." 

Fifth-year veteran Taylor Gillis (Summerside, PE) scored the first two goals of the game, and rookie defender Kierra St. Peter (Craigs Flat, NB) added another with just 3.6 seconds left in the first period to get the Panthers off and running. 

"Any time you're giving up two breakaways and then a late period… those are hard to swallow," said REDS head coach Sarah Hilworth. "It was not a good first period whatsoever, and our group knew that. I thought we had a good second period push and didn't get rewarded. Their goalie played outstanding." 

"It just comes down to making mistakes and getting capitalizations on them," said Woodland. "Today, we didn't have a great start, and it cost us. At the end of the day, we've just got to be better." 

Payton Hargreaves (Whitby, ON) had the only goal for the REDS. 

Gillis, who scored 15 goals in 26 games for the Panthers in the regular season, opened the scoring at 2:04 as she picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and streaked the length of the ice to beat Woodland top corner on the Panthers' first shot of the game. 

"We knew we had to come out strong right from the beginning," said Gillis. "To get up early today was really the key to success." 

She added her second of the period at 11:42 on a shot that beat Woodland blocker side after winger Lexie Murphy (Kensington, PE) raced down the left wing boards, cut to the middle and found the trailing Gillis for the goal that stood as the game winner. 

St. Pierre added another with just four seconds left in the period, pumping a shot from the top of the faceoff circle, past Woodland to make it 3-0. 

Woodland, the Most Valuable Player in the conference this season, gave up as many as three goals only twice in 17 regular season starts. 

"As a goalie, you want all goals back," she said. "I don't feel we took them for granted. You're up a game, it's kind of human nature. We're just really looking forward to next game." 

The REDS pushed back in the second period, outshooting the Panthers 16-5, but Forsythe held the fort, including through a two minute 5-on-3 power-play where the REDS could not convert. 

The golden opportunity came at 12:30 of the second, when Kayla Maracle (Toronto, Ont.) drew a four-minute penalty for head contact on REDS defender Marley Van Den Oetelaar (Whitby, ON) and Murphy was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct after protesting the call. 

Murphy had a breakaway from centre ice as she left the penalty box, but Woodland made the save. 

The REDS broke Forsythe's bid for a shutout at 10:13 of the third period on the marker by Hargreaves. 

UNB had Woodland on the bench for an extra attacker for the final 2:02 of the game but couldn't generate anything. 

"I'm not worried," said Woodland. "I have full faith in my teammates."  

The series now switches to Charlottetown, where the Panthers will host the REDS in Game 3 of the series Saturday night at 7:00pm. The fourth game is in Charlottetown Sunday night. 

A fifth game, if necessary, will be played at the Aitken Centre on Wednesday, March 1st.

RECAP BY: Bill Hunt, for UNB Athletics / PHOTOS BY: James West