Parvin lifts UNB to AUS title in overtime thriller

(ANTIGONISH, N.S.) The UNB REDS are AUS women's hockey champions once again, thanks to a thrilling 4-3 overtime win over the STFX X-Women on Friday night at the Charles V Keating Centre.  

It's the fourth league title for the REDS, who faced the X-Women in the finals for the fifth year in a row. They will now head to the U SPORTS national championship in Waterloo, Ont. March 19-22.  

Boston Pizza Player of the Game Alexandra Parvin netted the game winner 4:04 into overtime, ripping a high shot after a behind the net pass from Katelyn Scott. AUS Playoff MVP goaltender Cassie McCallum had 36 saves on the night for the REDS.    

STFX's Tea Pearce opened the scoring 23 seconds into the game, crashing the net to tip in a Claire Carruthers feed after a cross-ice breakout pass from Toby Graham.  

Brooklyn Oakes had to come up big in the sixth minute, after Payton Hargreaves intercepted a pass near the STFX net. The squads continued generating chances, but the X-Women maintained the lead at the first intermission.  

Hillary Wood got the REDS on the board seven minutes into the second period, wristing one low with Jorja Nystrom assisting while on the powerplay. Scott pulled the visitors ahead just over a minute later, firing a high short side shot with Olivia Eustance getting the helper.  

Rylee Strohm made it 3-1 at the 13 minute mark, rifling a low shot for the score as the REDS netted three unanswered goals in the middle period. 

STFX forward Ashlyn Garnett cut the lead to one with eight minutes left in the game, tipping in a Mackenzie Lothian point shot through traffic, bringing some life back to the capacity crowd of close to 2000 fans. 

With the STFX net empty, Carruthers tied things up with just over a minute to go, finishing off a great pass from Samantha Morrison to send the game to overtime.  

The shot tally in the game favored the X-Women at 39-26 as their comeback fell just short.  

Recap courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Athletics