(FREDERICTON, NB) First year forward Ben Corbeil (Granby, QC) scored the go-ahead-goal to help the UNB REDS win the 2022 Pete Kelly Cup 5-2 over the McGill Redbirds.
Corbeil added an assist with his winner to earn the game's MVP honours.
"We started slow, but played better and better each period," said Corbeill. "We came back and we didn't look back."
McGill got the jump on UNB when a seeing-eye point shot from Mitchell Prowse (Kelowna, BC) found its way through traffic and past REDS goaltender Samuel Richard (Ste.Catherine, QC) just 2:28 into the first period for an early 1-0 lead for the Redbirds.
UNB would get on the board late in the frame when Thomas Casey (Charlottetown, PE) jammed the puck past McGill netminder Emanuel Vella (Toronto, ON) to tie the game heading into the first intermission.
The second period was a display of tight defense from both squads.
The deadlock wouldn't be broken until Drew Bennett (Mount Pearl, NL) fed a great pass to Brandon Skubel (Niagara on the Lake, ON) to make it 2-1 McGill with 5:47 left in the second.
The REDS struck back right away, with Brady Gilmour (Grafton, ON) putting home a great feed from Austen Keating (Guelph, ON) to knot the game 2-2.
"When we went up 2-1, we needed to be able to step on their throat there, they scored a quick one right away and that changed the momentum," said Bennett.
Bennett had two assists for the Redbirds and earned the game's second star.
Gilmour's key marker earned him the game's third star.
With just over 10 minutes to play in the third, Corbeil would give UNB its first lead of the game, firing a shot top shelf to make it 3-2 REDS.
"It was a great pass by (Justin) Nolet (Mississauga, ON). He dropped me the puck, I had some open space and just took the shot," said Corbeil.
With just under two minutes left, Cole MacKay (Sault Ste. Marie, ON) would break in alone and tally the insurance marker to make it 4-2 UNB.
Keating would add an empty netter to seal the game for the REDS.
Richard made 28 saves for the REDS in the win.
Vella and Alexis Shank (Laval, QC) each made 14 stops in the loss for McGill.
The REDS head to Toronto next weekend for a pair of pre-season games against the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold, September 30th and October 1st.
UNB will open their 2022-2023 Atlantic University Sport regular season, at the Aitken Centre, on October 7th, against the UPEI Panthers.
Game time is 7:00pm.
RECAP BY: Jonathon James/for UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics