REDS Eliminate Tommies

(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS are moving on to the Atlantic University Sport women's hockey championship series after beating the St. Thomas Tommies 4-3 on Monday to win their Atlantic University Sport semi-final series three games to one.

The REDS opened the scoring with a powerplay goal at 7:42 of the first period.

Katelyn Scott came off the wall and fed a backhand pass across the slot to Payton Hargreaves, whose one-timer beat Tommies' goalie Katie Sweeney.

St. Thomas drew even less than five minutes into the second period on a goal by Nadia Lavoie.

Just past the mid-way point of the second, with UNB on the powerplay, the REDS caught the Tommies on a bad line change to restore their lead. Cassie McCallum fired a long pass through the neutral zone to Hargreaves who fed Hailey Jackson, who easily beat a moving Sweeney.

Lauren Carter's second goal of the playoffs gave UNB a 3-1 lead at 15:39 and the REDS took that two goal advantage to the second intermission.

UNB pushed their lead to 4-1 mid-way through the third period when a speedy Alexandra Parvin forced a Sweeney miscue. With the Tommies goalie out of position, Parvin sent a pass into the slot for Olivia Eustace. Her shot beat Sweeney easily.

Following a late penalty call on the REDS, the Tommies pulled Sweeney for a 6-on-4 advantage.

The gamble paid off and Lauren Smith scored to make it a 4-2 game.

The same situation developed with 2:31 to play, and once again the Tommies scored. Amber Daley's goal made the score 4-3, but that's as close as the home team would get.

McCallum made 30 saves on 33 shots to earn the win in the REDS' net while Sweeney allowed four goals on 22 shots.

The REDS, who will play in the conference championship series for the fifth straight season, now await the winner of the other semi-final between STFX and UPEI. That series will require a fifth and deciding game, on Thursday. 

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB REDS

PHOTO BY: Sean Murphy/for STU Athletics