The Bell Varsity Cup opened with the No. 2 UNB Varsity Reds hammering the No. 8 York Lions 9-1. The V-Reds team speed proved too much for the Lions, who were without the services of their Star Daryl Bat, out with an achilles injury. Ryan Burgoyne led UNB with 2 goals and an assist, but four other V-Reds also had three point games; Calvin Watson, Matt Cusson, Ryan Lindsay, and Denny Johnston.
The first 10 minutes of the game featured some fast action and hard hitting but little defense, perhaps due the to the fact that both teams had been off for almost a month. UNB's Troy Stonier opened the scoring when his low shot from the high slot deflected past York goaltender Scott Della Vedova at 8:26. Assists went to Matt Cusson and Jean-Michel Boisvert. UNB then began to take over, using their speed to turn up the pressure on the Lions. Della Vedova made a nice save off Jesse Ferguson at 14:00, when Ferguson broke in alone from the left side. The V-Reds' Denny Johnston made it 2-0 at 14:22 with assists to Smallman and Calvin Watson. Johnston picked up a York clearing shot that went around the backboards and quickly fired it past a sliding Della Veldova. Colin Sinclair scored on the powerplay at 17:08, set up nicely by Ryan Lindsay and Ryan Burgoyne. UNB made it 4-0 at 18:58 when a shot from behind the net bounced off the skates of a York defenseman and past Della Vedova. The goal was credited to Smallman, with assists to Johnston and and Watson. Shots on goal were 19-7 in the first period.
UNB's Burgoyne quickly made it at the 12 second mark to make it 5-0. The assist went to Lindsay. The V-Reds Stonier made it 6-0 at 5:19, with the assist going to Cusson. The Reds Kyle Werner made it 7-0 at 14:47, assisted by Watson and Johnston. Mike Mckenna finally got York on the board at 15:20, assisted by Matt Reynolds and Blaire Grenier. UNB outshot York 13-9 in the second.
UNB replaced goaltender Bourcier at the beginning of the third with Andy LeBlanc. York's Della Vedova made a great arm save off UNB's Calvin Watson at 5:00. Ryan Burgoyne made it 8-1 at 12:39, set up by a great pass from Lindsay. UNB quickly made it 9-1 at 13:12, when Matt Cusson scored on a rebound off a shot by Craig Mahon. UNB outshot York 18-4 in the third and 50-20 in the game.
The Molson's Three Stars, as selected by Leith Dunick of Thunder Bay's Source, were:
- UNB: Denny Johnston
- UNB: Ryan Burgoyne
- UNB: Calvin Watson
UNB sees action againtomorrow night against the host Thunderwolves at 7:30 while York takes on Calgary in the early game.
GAME SUMMARY
First Period
Scoring
1. UNB, Stonier 1 (Cusson, Boisvert) 8:26
2. UNB, Johnston 1 (Smallman, Watson) 14:22
3. UNB, Sinclair 1 (Lindsay, Burgoyne) 17:08 pp
4. UNB, Smallman 1 (Johnston, Watson) 18:58
Penalties Smallman UNB (holding the stick) 5:18, Connell Y (tripping) 10:24, Murphy Y (holding) 15:50.
Second Period
Scoring
5. UNB, Burgoyne 1 (Lindsay) 0:12
6. UNB, Stonier 2 (Cusson, Ferguson) 5:19
7. UNB, Werner 1 (Johnston, Watson) 14:47
8. York, McKenna 1 (Reynolds, Grennier) 15:20
Penalties Hegberg UNB (hooking) 1:59, Spirito York (elbowing) 9:15, Johnston UNB (high sticking) 12:26, Young UNB (tripping) 15:49, Stonier UNB (high sticking) 17:17.
Third Period
Scoring
9. UNB, Burgoyne 2 (Linday, Sinclair) 12:39
10. UNB, Cusson 1 (Mahon) 13:12
Penalties Williams York (hooking) 2:09, bench minor UNB (too many men, served by Young) 5:20, Mahon UNB (roughing) 10:24,
Shots on goal
UNB 19<