The UPEI power play sputtered Friday but it was firing on all cylinders Saturday in a huge 5-4 victory over the top-ranked UNB Varsity Reds as the Panthers earned a much-needed split in Atlantic University Sport men’s hockey action in Fredericton, N.B.
The Panthers scored four times on eight chances Saturday night and played tight defence in the final period to edge the previously-unbeaten Varsity Reds (7-1-0).
It was a much different story Friday with UPEI going just 1-for-9 on the power play and saw a 3-2 lead disappear in a final-period collapse where Summerside native Brad Gallant scored two goals in 10 seconds as the St. Thomas Tommies shocked the Panthers 6-3.
Sunday’s win over defending national champion and previously-unbeaten UNB was critical, said UPEI head coach Forbes MacPherson.
“It was a great win for a lot of reasons,” he said.
UPEI goaltender Mavric Parks stopped 39 of 43 shots for the win, which evened the Panthers regular season record at 4-4.
UNB’s Matthew Davis stopped 22 shots.
UPEI held on to a narrow lead during much of the game, with Jared Gomes and Matt Carter both scoring early in the first period.
It wasn’t long before UNB’s Jordan Clendenning scored at 11:30 to narrow UPEI’s lead to 2-1.
Then it was back and forth between the two teams, with UPEI holding a slight lead for all three periods.
“They’re the defending champions for a reason,” said MacPherson. “They know how to battle through adversity and keep coming at you. No lead is safe with them.”
Carter got his second power play goal of the night less than two minutes into the second, with UNB’s Josh Kidd answering back 40 seconds later to put the game at 3-2.
UPEI’s Jordan Knox then scored on a power play at 7:31 of the second period before UNB’s Jonathon Harty tallied at 13:23 to hand the Panthers a 4-3 lead going into the third.
Mike MacIsaac gave the Panthers some breathing room when he netted a power-play goal at 10:39 in the third to give the team a 5-3 lead.
UNB’s Luke Gallant scored three minutes later, but it wasn’t enough as UPEI held on for the victory.
While the final outcomes of Friday and Saturday’s games were in stark contrast, the Panthers gave the same strong effort for the majority of both matches, said MacPherson.
He said the Panthers must keep working on their consistency.
“We’re struggling to find our identity. We’ve beaten some of the best teams in Canada but we’ve lost some along the way,” he said.
“It doesn’t mean anything to catch lightning in a bottle once. You have to do it consistently.”
The Panthers are at Acadia (4-3-1) on Friday and at Dalhousie (2-6-0) on Saturday.
