REDS Down Dal In OT
(FREDERICTON, NB) Olivia Eustace's unassisted goal with three seconds left in overtime was the winner as the UNB REDS beat the Dalhousie Tigers 4-3in Atlantic University Sport women's hockey play, Saturday afternoon at UNB's Aitken Centre.
With time winding down, Eustace picked up the puck in her own zone and raced the length of the ice before lifting a shot over Dal goalie Grace Beer.
After a pre-game ceremony in which the REDS honoured five graduating seniors, including Eustace, the home team opened the scoring at the 7:06 mark of the first period.
Hailey Jackson put a knuckleball shot on the Dal net that hand-cuffed Beer. The puck bounced up and over Beer and into the net.
Dal tied the game on the only goal of the second period, Emmerson Gormley's marker just 30 seconds in.
April Reiner scored 1:10 into the third period and Katelyn Scott followed with a short-handed goal about seven minutes later as UNB went up 3-1.
But goals by Madison Wardle and Ava Boyle brought the Tigers back to even, at 3-3, and forced the overtime.
UNB goalie Cassie McCallum made a handful of big saves in overtime before Eustace potted her winner.
The REDS finish the AUS regular season in second place with a record of 20-6-1-1 (W-L-OTL-SOL).
The Tigers will miss the AUS playoffs after finishing seventh with an 8-13-5-2 record.
Up next for the REDS, after a first round playoff bye, the AUS semi-finals.
That best of five series, against a to-be-determined opponent, will begin Wednesday, February 25th, at the Aitken Centre. Game time is 7:00pm. Game two of the series goes the next night, also a 7:00pm start.
Tickets are available now at the REDS website, www.goredsgo.ca
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB REDS
PHOTOS BY: Fran Harris/for UNB REDS