University of Alberta Golden Bears goaltender Ethan Kruger, right, reacts as University of New Brunswick Reds' Cody Morgan celebrates his goal during the second period of USports University Cup men’s hockey championship gold medal action in Charlottetown, Sunday, March 19, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
CHARLOTTETOWN – The University of New Brunswick Reds are the new golden boys of U Sports men’s hockey.
The Reds defeated the Alberta Golden Bears 3-0 on Sunday in the championship final of the eight-team tourney at the Eastlink Centre.
Cody Morgan, Cole Mackay and Austen Keating scored for the Reds, while Samuel Richard stopped 17 shots for the shutout. Morgan, named the game’s top star, also added an assist.
Ethan Kruger stopped 29 of 32 shots for the Golden Bears.
It is the ninth time the Reds have won the University Cup in its 60-year national tournament history.
The Reds defeated UQTR Patriotes 6-3 in Saturday’s semifinal, while Alberta got past the UPEI Panthers 4-1.
Meanwhile, in the bronze-medal final, the University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières Patriotes defeated the host UPEI Panthers 3-2 in the Cavendish Farms University Cup.
First-period goals by David Noel (6:03) and Mathieu Boucher (8:16) gave the Patriotes an early lead, but second-period goals by the Panthers’ Kaleb Pearson (2:20) and Ian Smallwood (15:40) made it a 2-2 game.
With 55 seconds left in the second period, Vincent Milot-Ouellet scored what proved to be the winning goal for the Patriotes. Samuel L’Italien and Boucher drew the assists.
The Patriotes held period leads of 2-0 and 3-2, but were outshot 24-23.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 19, 2023.
