REDS defeat Huskies 3-0 in final game of regular season

The UNB REDS claimed the 2021-22 Atlantic University Sport regular season women's hockey title Sunday with a 3-0 win over the visiting Saint Mary's Huskies.

With the win, the REDS tie the Huskies with 33 points, but take first place by virtue of their head-to-head record.

Sunday's game, between two nationally ranked teams, was a close one.

The REDS opened the scoring at the 7:47 mark of the opening period when Ashley Stratton (Mount Pearl, NL) moved around a Huskies defender and lifted a shot over the shoulder of Huskies' netminder Dagny Hudspeth (Burlington, ON).

The teams then played through a scoreless second period where the goaltenders were the best players on the ice.

UNB created some breathing room at 8:04 of the third period with a second goal, as Melanie Drost(Nepean, ON) crashed the net and found a loose puck that she pushed past Hudspeth.

Paige Grenier (Olds, AB) scored into an empty Huskies net at 19:04 to make the score 3-0.

REDS goaltender Kendra Woodland stopped 25 shots for the shutout and was named Subway Player of the Game.

UNB finishes the regular season with a record of 15-3-1-2, while Saint Mary's finishes with a 16-4-1-0 record.

"It's not the finish we wanted for the regular season, but a new one starts on Wednesday, so we've got to look ahead to that one now," said Huskies' captain Alexa McMillan (Edmonton, AB). "It doesn't really matter who wins at the end of the day, it matters who wins at the end of the playoffs. First place right now doesn't count for much unless you win it at the end."

Both the REDS and Huskies now prepare to host single-game elimination playoff contests on Wednesday night.

UNB will play host to 8^th place Mount Allison while Saint Mary's takes on crosstown rival and 7^th place Dalhousie.

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: Jeff Crawford/for UNB Athletics