Perfection Continues: UNB Blows Out TMU, Returning To The U Cup Finals For The Second Year In A Row
PHOTO: Mona Ghiz / for Saint Mary’s Huskies Athletics
Written By Blake Hanlin
The 375-day undefeated streak lives another day as the UNB Reds destroy the TMU Bold in enemy territory, 7-0.
Pack the MAC was the message preached to fans before Saturday's affair, and they did not disappoint. In the TMU home crowd, the New Brunswick fans made their presence known, drowning out the Bold section with rattles from their cowbells. A duo of premature goals from Sean McGurn and Kale McCallum set off the Reds' faithful, breaking the sound barrier in the historic Maple Leaf Gardens.
"There's so much pride in our UNB presence here." Head Coach Gardiner MacDougall said. "When you get an UNB chant in an opponent's rink up in Toronto that out volumes the hometown, that's pretty significant for our group."
TMU had a plethora of chances to respond in the first, generating effective rushes and possession in the UNB zone. Yet, lazy passing and an unwillingness to shoot rendered their powerplay useless at the halfway point of the starting frame.
This failure to execute was capped off by a Colton Kammerer snipe that found netting past Kai Edmonds. Kammerer acknowledged the traveling New Brunswick fans in his celebration, egging them on to see if they wanted more. The 3 goal lead and poor play from the Toronto offense sucked the soul of any hope for a comeback.
"Everyday we push one another in practice, at the end of the year the team that grows the most and continues to improve is usually the one that comes up on top." Kammerer shared.
Unfortunately for TMU, there would be no miracle on ice that afternoon. Reds' star Austen Keating beautifully tipped in a shot from the point that opened the second period with a bang. Later, Kade Landry found a wide-open rebound to increase the deficit by 5.
You got to feel for Toronto netminder Kai Edmonds. The sophomore faced 40 shots in two periods while his team could only muster 10; his team left him out to dry. Frustration boiled over when Kai took out his anger on Cole MacKay, exchanging a few blows and chirps when the Red forward invaded his crease.
Another point of discussion for the Bold is what was the rationale behind Head Coach Johnny Duco's decision to bring Aaron Hyman back into the lineup?
The young offensive defenceman had a great regular season but did not play any games during the team's run to the Queen's Cup. Hyman's lack of ice time could be costly, as in both games in the University Cup, his opponents were blowing by him with ease, and he played the puck like a hand grenade on several occasions.
The disparity in skill continued to start the final period, and a goal-of-the-tournament-worthy dangle from Camayrn Baber fooled the TMU backend. Late in the third, a scuffle between Michael Petizian and Edmonds created 4-on-4 play that led to UNB's seventh goal of the game.
TMU Head Coach Johnny Duco went straight to the point regarding his team's performance, stating, "I don't think we were very good and they were really good."
Another victory earned for the UNB Reds; they continue to rise to the occasion despite the pressure of a perfect season weighing upon them. Samuel Richard gets back-to-back shutouts against his OUA opponents in an overall win that emphasizes teamwork. New Brunswick will find out who they will defend their 2022-23 U Cup title against later tonight. Whether it's UQTR or McGill, the Reds are ready to complete their perfection on Sunday night.
