Reds' second-period scoring barrage sinks Panthers 7-3

By Thomas Becker

A second-period scoring explosion saw the UNB Reds net four goals in under five minutes, turning a tightly contested game into a runaway 7-3 victory over the UPEI Panthers Sunday afternoon.

The ambush began at 5:34 with Jorja Nystrom igniting the scoring spree. This was quickly followed by goals from Olivia Eustace and Jamie Arsenault, with Katelyn Scott capping off the explosive stretch at 10:16. 

Scott led the charge, delivering a standout performance with two goals and two assists. Nystrom also shined, contributing a goal and two assists, while Arsenault added two goals of her own to power the Reds (16-3-1) to victory. 

The Reds opened the scoring early in the first period when Scott's initial shot hit a skate and deflected back to her before burying the rebound past Sarah Forsythe at 3:25. However, the Panthers responded at 10:37 in spectacular fashion. Working from the corner, Ruby Loughton sent a no-look pass to the slot, where Hayden Lilly snapped it past Hannah LeClair to tie the game 1-1.

UPEI (9-8-3) capitalized on a power play at 13:23 to take the lead. McKinley Nelson danced through a pair of defenders and fed a short pass to Chloe McCabe, who made no mistake firing it past LeClair for a 2-1 lead. UPEI controlled the opening frame, outshooting UNB 13-4, but the game was far from over. 

The Reds flipped the script in the second period with a relentless offensive onslaught, scoring four goals in less than five minutes. The scoring spree began on a two-player advantage at 5:34 when Nystrom beat Forsythe to even the game at 2-2. Nystrom struck again three minutes later, this time setting up Eustace in front for a quick strike that gave the Reds a 3-2 lead.

The floodgates opened further at 9:25 when April Reiner stole the puck in the attacking zone and fed Arsenault, who tipped it past Forsythe to extend the lead. Just 51 seconds later, Scott corralled a loose puck and deked around Forsythe before tucking it in, making it 5-2 and prompting a goaltending change as Erin Cabaday replaced Forsythe.

The Panthers got one back late in the period on another power play. With just 22 seconds remaining, Ashley McCutcheon's shot deflected off several skates before landing in front of Orianna MacNeil. MacNeil lunged at the puck and fired it past LeClair, cutting the deficit to 5-3.

The Reds extended their lead at 10:03 of the third period following a faceoff win. The puck made its way to Lauren O'Neil, who spotted Payton Hargreaves in the corner. Hargreaves cut toward the net and fired a sharp-angle shot past Cabaday. Arsenault then sealed the game with an empty net goal to secure the 7-3 win.

The two teams will square off again Saturday night.

Photo Credit: Janessa Vanden Broek