MacKay Leads REDS In Teddy Toss Game
(FREDERICTON, NB) Cole MacKay (Sault Ste. Marie, ON) scored twice, including the game-winner, as the UNB REDS beat the Acadia Axemen 5-3 in Atlantic University Sport men's hockey action, Friday night, at UNB's Aitken Centre.
The game was played before a sellout Aitken Centre crowd of 3374.
MacKay's first goal, just 3:13 into the opening period, unleashed UNB's 8th annual Teddy Bear Toss, and more than 2200 stuffed animals flew from the Aitken Centre stands onto the ice.
"It means a lot to have so many teddy bears and toys thrown out for such a good cause and that just happened to be me tonight," said MacKay, named Tim Horton's Player of the Game. "We generate a lot of offence, there's a lot of skilled guys in there. I'm happy it was me, but it could've been anybody."
A ten-minute delay ensued as the stuffed animals were removed.
The Salvation Army will distribute them to children and families in need during the holiday season.
UNB's first lead lasted a bit more than three minutes.
Cam Whynot (Kentville, NS) tied the game 1-1 at 6:23 and the teams went to the first intermission even.
Macauley Carson (Midhurst, ON) restored UNB's lead less than three minutes into the second period, but the Axemen battled back on a goal by Cam MacDonald (Hammonds Plains, NS) a short time later.
Tied 2-2 through 40 minutes, the REDS erupted with two power-play goals in 1:41 span of the third, including MacKay's game-winner, and added an empty-net goal in the final minute.
"That had a playoff atmosphere, both in the crowd and on the ice," said MacKay. "It was tightly checked and those are the kind of games we need to play in. Tied going into the third, those are the games where we have to figure out how to win, so to wrap it up in the third means a lot for us moving forward."
Cody Morgan (Gilford, ON) finished the night with three assists for the REDS while Benjamin Corbeil (Granby, QC) had a pair.
Carson, like MacKay, scored twice for UNB.
Despite allowing four goals, Thomas Couture (Levis, QC) was a difference-maker for the Axemen. He stopped 39 of the 43 shots he faced and did so under constant pressure.
Samuel Richard made 11 saves on 14 shots to earn the win for the REDS.
Not only did the REDS win their Teddy Bear Toss Game, they won on Gardiner MacDougall Appreciation Night too.
The long-time and former REDS head coach who led UNB to nine national championships was honoured in a pre-game ceremony. A banner citing his accomplishments was raised to the Aitken Centre rafters.
UNB is now 15-1-1-0 (W-L-OTL-SOL) atop the AUS standings. The Axemen fall to 8-7-0-1 and sit fifth.
The REDS skate back into action on Saturday afternoon when they host the Saint Mary's Huskies in a 4:00pm start. Acadia visits Moncton on Saturday night. Game time is 7:00pm.
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics