Varsity Reds Ready For Playoff Journey

(FREDERICTON, NB) On the verge of the start of their post-season, the UNB Varsity Reds remain focused.

The steely focus that helped guide them to their 10^th consecutive Atlantic University Sport regular season title may even be sharper as the playoffs arrive.

“You can look back at the 30 games and look at what you accomplished and use that as a confidence booster,” says AUS and U SPORTS scoring champion Philippe Maillet(Terrebonne, QC). “But you have to know this is going to be twice as hard, and you’re going to have to work twice as hard.”

The Varsity Reds open the AUS semi-finals Thursday night, against the Saint Mary’s Huskies. Game time is 7:00pm, at UNB’s Aitken University Centre.

While the Huskies needed three games to defeat UPEI, the VReds had a first-round bye.

They spent that time preparing.

“Gardiner made sure we weren’t slacking,” said Varsity Reds defenceman Jordan Murray(Riverview, NB), who feels recent practices have featured game-like intensity. “We’ve got some tough competition, but with the team that we have and how everyone works so hard that, for a defenceman especially, the forwards coming down on you, it’s as tough as a game.”

Murray and Maillet have played key roles for the Varsity Reds this season.

Maillet won the AUS and U SPORTS scoring races with 23 goals and 32 assists. His 55 points was 9 better than his closest U SPORTS rival.

Murray was the top scoring defenceman in the country, with 14 goals and 26 assists.

Both are quick to acknowledge they are but parts of a team.

Both are also quick to praise teammates and coaches for their contributions.

“I played with outstanding players throughout the whole year,” said Maillet. “Our power-play has been really good. Henni(UNB Associate Coach Rob Hennigar) has done an outstanding job of getting us ready on the power-play every night. We have a lot of good players, players that have been there before and it just happened that it worked out for me this year.”

Murray feels his teammates can take some ownership of his decent statistical season.

“Being on the team that we’re all on right now it’s easy to play hard every night because you’ve got the guys all around you playing hard too.”

Just as quickly as they praise their teammates, Maillet and Murray are quick to point out that the regular season is over.

Maillet says the opportunity to host this year’s Cavendish Farms University Cup and defend their national championship is one few teams get.

“We don’t want to go into nationals through the back door,” said Maillet. “We want to go in the front door, implement our style of play and show that we want to be, at the end of the day, the best team in the country.”

Maillet knows the Aitken Centre is going to be abuzz for the four days of the tournament.

“We’ve had outstanding fans throughout the whole season, but there’s going to be more of them and they’re going to be cheering louder. It’ll be an exciting couple of days.”

Murray is looking forward to the national championship, but isn’t forgetting the Varsity Reds have work to do.

“We have a chance not just to defend, but defend on home ice. I think the next month is going to be the toughest challenge of the year for us, but I think we’re ready for it,” said Murray.

It’s clear that UNB is taking its role as University Cup host seriously.

They’ve been atop the U SPORTS men’s hockey rankings for 15 of 16 weeks.

Despite being the defending national champions, UNB was ranked second in the first U SPORTS poll.

They moved to the number one position in the second poll and haven’t relinquished that spot.

“It’s really tough to get on top, but it’s harder to stay on top,” said Maillet. “We know that when teams come into the Aitken Centre, or when we’re on the road and they’re waiting for us at home, it’s going to be a battle every time. It’s forces us to play 60 minutes.”

And while Maillet and Murray may lead the way, Murray says there’s a prevailing attitude in the dressing room.

“The guys in the dressing room, we hate to lose,” he said. “Looking back to my second year, when we lost in the national final, I think since then we’ve never really looked back. We’ve always kept our foot on the pedal and tried to win every game. We don’t want to lose.”