Pete Kelly Cup Returns To The Holiday Season
(FREDERICTON, NB) The Pete Kelly Cup returns to its traditional place on the calendar in 2026, near the end of the holiday season break for the UNB REDS men’s hockey team.
The REDS will host the McGill Redbirds on Saturday, January 3rd, 2026. Game time is 2:00pm.
“I think it's great for us, to get an unfamiliar opponent on home ice,” said fourth year REDS’ forward Cody Morgan. “Being able to get a game underneath our belt before getting into the sprint that is the last 12 games of the AUS regular season, and leading into playoffs, is going to benefit us for sure. Coming off the break being able to shake off a bit of rust, after not playing for a month, is something we are all looking forward to as well as it being a meaningful game, playing for the Pete Kelly Cup.”
The REDS went 11-5-1-1 (W-L-OTL-SOL) through the first half of their Atlantic University Sport 2025-2026 campaign, good for third place, just four points back of first place Moncton.
The Redbirds are 9-7 so far, good for fourth place in the ultra-competitive Ontario University Athletics’ East Division.
“They’re a well-coached team,” said REDS’ head coach Rob Hennigar. “We have a good relationship with Coach Urquart. They always play hard. It’ll be a great test.”
For years the Pete Kelly Cup was a holiday season staple, but the past three years the game has been held in September.
In 2023, UNB beat Toronto Metropolitan University in a two-game series contested in September, and in 2024, the REDS beat Ontario Tech in a one-game Kelly Cup, also a pre-season event.
Peterbilt Atlantic did co-sponsor UNB’s 2023 Holiday Classic, but it was not a Kelly Cup game.
“We feel it’s important to get the reps in before the second half begins,” said Coach Hennigar. “The break in the AUS is long, and this helps before we get into regular season action again.”
McGill is no stranger to the Aitken Centre or the Kelly Cup.
The Montreal school has fielded teams in U Cup tournaments here. In fact, McGill’s one national men’s hockey championship was won on Aitken Centre ice in 2012.
They last appeared in the Pete Kelly Cup in 2022. That was a September game, and the REDS scored a 5-2 win.
“I’m expecting a strong game and a great opportunity for our team to grow and continue improving,” said Morgan. “I remember playing against them a couple of years ago in an exhibition game. It was high intensity, and I expect them to bring that same level of effort. We’re looking forward to the challenge and are excited to test ourselves against a good team.”
While it’ll go into the books as an exhibition game, don’t expect anything less than a regular season effort.
“Every game at UNB we attack the same way,” said Coach Hennigar. “This will be no different. We’ll prepare the same way as we would for any other game.”
“Each game is a chance for us to build towards our ultimate goal of becoming national champions, so this will be another opportunity for our group to do so,” added Morgan.
Tickets for the game can be purchased here: https://www.goredsgo.ca/tickets/index
STORY BY: Andy Campbell/UNB REDS
FILE PHOTO BY: Fran Harris/for UNB REDS