Panthers blank powerhouse Reds in statement home opener

By Thomas Becker

The UPEI Panthers delivered a statement win Saturday afternoon, defeating the perennial powerhouse UNB Reds 3-0 in their home opener.

Orianna MacNeil, Sarah Fraser, and Jessica Mercer found the back of the net, while goaltender Erin Cabaday turned aside all 20 shots for her second career shutout.

It was the perfect response after a tough 5-1 loss to St. Thomas on Wednesday—a game that prompted some hard internal discussions about the team's standards. Head coach Sean Fisher said the group's veterans took those conversations to heart.

"It wasn't even about the win, it was just about our veteran players playing the right way," Fisher said. "They set the tone, and it was noticeably different. They had some very open and honest conversations throughout the week—with me and with their teammates. Those fourth and fifth-years have to lead the way, and they did today. They were excellent." 

After a cautious, defensive-minded opening frame, the Panthers (1-1) began to dictate play in the second period. Their patience paid off at 12:48 on the power play when MacNeil broke the deadlock. Taking a pass from Kaiya Maracle just inside the blue line, she weaved past a defender and snapped a shot glove-side past Cassie McCallum to make it 1-0.

"She's a special player and has been since the day she got here," Fisher said of MacNeil. "She can do things that other people can't. And if she's playing the right way, like she was tonight, then she's a threat every time she's on the ice." 

That goal seemed to flip a switch. Just 25 seconds later, Fraser worked a play from behind the net, centering to Chiara Esposito, whose backhand attempt was stopped. Fraser pounced on the rebound and put away her own backhand to double the lead, sending the bench into a roar. 

UPEI continued to frustrate the Reds (0-1) with disciplined defensive play and crisp breakouts. In the third, Mercer added the insurance marker at 14:41, blasting a long shot from the blue line that found its way through traffic for the 3-0 dagger.

For Cabaday, the clean sheet was both satisfying and symbolic of how far the group has come.

"We were prepared and the energy was high from the start," Cabaday said. "No nerves, just excitement. It feels great to get my second AUS shutout against a team with that much firepower, and credit to the girls—they blocked shots and made my job easy."

The Panthers now hit the road for a pair of matchups next weekend: Friday night against St. FX, followed by a Saturday tilt with Mount Allison.

Photos: Janessa Vanden Broek