(FREDERICTON, NB) Matthew Boucher (Los Angeles, Calif.) scored four goals and added an assist as the UNB Reds beat the UPEI Panthers 6-3 on Saturday night.
Boucher's five point night earned him the Subway Player of the Game nod.
"Sometimes you have those kinds of nights [where] the puck just finds you," said Boucher. "It feels good to have a night like that."
Patrick Watling (Sault Ste. Marie, ON) added two assists for the Reds in the win.
UNB improves to 8-2-0 while UPEI drops to 2-6-1.
Before the game UNB Cross Country athletes Isaac Cull and Hannah Cormier, who both qualified for the U SPORTS Championships next weekend, dropped pucks in the ceremonial face-off.
The Reds put the pressure on early, swarming the Panthers net throughout the first period.
Simon Holfey (Ottawa, ON) stood tall in the early going for the Panthers, but Boucher would solve him on the power-play at 14:39, finishing a cross-crease pass from Mark Rassell (Calgary, AB) to put the Reds up 1-0 heading into first intermission.
Owen Headrick (Garden River, ON) tied the game for UPEI just 17 seconds into the second period, tipping a shot from Filip Rydstrom (Stockholm, Swe.) past Rylan Parenteau (Saskatoon, SK) to make it 1-1.
UNB would regain their composure after some uneasy minutes and Boucher would break down the right wing and fire his second of game to put the Reds in front 2-1.
Boucher continued to lead the Reds offense, cleaning up a loose puck in the crease for the hat-trick and a 3-1 UNB lead.
Olivier LeBlanc (Quebec City, QC) would get in on the offense just two minutes later, squeaking a shot through Holfey and across the goal line to make it 4-1.
"We learned some lessons tonight and we have to continue to grow," said Panthers head coach Forbes MacPherson.
Tyler Boland (St. John's, NL) would add a power-play goal to make it 5-1.
Doug Blaisdell (Southwold, ON) would get one back for the Panthers and Boucher would add his fourth of the game for a 6-2 Reds lead after 40 minutes.
Conor MacEachern (Charlottetown, PE) would add one more for UPEI in the third to make it a 6-3 final for UNB.
The Reds outshot the Panthers 52-19.
The Reds went 2-5 on the power-play, while UPEI went 0-4.
"It's been a key for us all year," said Boucher. "Anytime you can get the special teams going like that, it's always a confidence boost."
Parenteau had 16 saves for the Reds, while Holfey made 46 saves in a losing effort for the Panthers.
The Reds host the Saint Mary's Huskies next Friday at 7:00pm.
The Panthers will face the Huskies on Tuesday, in Halifax.
RECAP BY: Jonathon James/for UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics