University of New Brunswick Reds' Brady Gilmour scores on Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivières Patriotes goaltender Alexis Gravel during first period USports University Cup men's university hockey final, in Toronto, Sunday, March 17, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
TORONTO – Austen Keating’s goal and two assists capped off a perfect season for the New Brunswick Reds as they successfully defended their University Cup championship on Sunday with a 4-0 win against the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes.
The Reds breezed through 2023-24 with a combined exhibition, regular and post-season record of 43-0, and have gone 47-0 dating back to last year’s playoff run and national championship.
In the eight-team University Cup tournament at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, the Reds eased their way to the school’s 10th title with shutout wins against Brock, the host Toronto Metropolitan University and the Patriotes by a combined score of 15-0.
Samuel Richard was in goal for the three shutouts. Combined with his backup, Griffen Outhouse, the UNB goalies finished the season with four consecutive shutouts. They did not allow a goal in the final 298 minutes and two seconds. The Reds outshot their opponents 33-23. Richard’s closest call was a chance from Patroites centre Conor Frenette in front with 6:37 left in the second period. But his shot hit Richard in the stomach.
The speedy and skilled Reds received a solid final-game effort from all four lines and three defence pairings.
But Keating and his linemates Brady Gilmour and Cody Morgan provided the offence. Gilmour scored at the 7:52 mark of the first period, sent in on a breakaway by Keating moments after the Reds killed off a penalty.
Morgan finished off a nice pass from Keating for a 2-0 lead with 4:57 remaining in the first period.
The 25-year-old Keating, a former Ottawa 67’s standout, collected a rebound off the end boards early in the final period, giving the team a three-goal advantage. Keating, of Guelph, Ont., was coming off an Atlantic MVP season.
Isaac Nurse added an empty-net goal before the celebration in front of a pro-UNB crowd began.
The latest national championship for the Fredericton school was the ninth under head coach Gardiner MacDougall.
Not only has he won back-to-back Canadian championships, but MacDougall was lured 75 minutes south in May 2022 to take over the Saint John Sea Dogs on an interim basis and steered the junior team to a Memorial Cup title.
McGILL FINISHES THIRD
Brandon Frattaroli scored twice in the final six minutes to lift McGill to a 3-2 comeback win against Toronto Metropolitan University in the third-place game.
Jackson Doherty gave the host team a 2-1 lead at the 7:52 mark of the final frame, but Frattaroli, a third-year centre, tied the game and scored the winner with 1:21 remaining.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2024.
