NB Telegraph-Journal | College Sports
As published on page D3 on November 3, 2004

UNIVERSITY
Tommies, V-Reds set to battle
Puck drops at 7 p.m. at the Lady Beaverbrook Rink

BY DAVID KELLY
Telegraph-Journal

FREDERICTON - Despite a total of 18 rookies between them, both the St. Thomas University Tommies and the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds don't expect to miss a beat tonight when the puck drops at 7 p.m. in Atlantic Universities Hockey Conference action at the Lady Beaverbrook Rink.

It is the opening instalment of the 2004-05 Battle of College Hill.

"It's always fun to play them, just a good intense battle," said UNB second-year rearguard Kevin Young, last year's Canadian Interuniversity Sport rookie of the year.

"The boys are really pumped up for the game," said St. Thomas rookie Justin McCutcheon. "We're going to come out flying."

The teams met in exhibition play once with UNB dropping STU 4-2 at the Aitken Centre but St. Thomas coach Mike Eagles doesn't think that will affect how his team plays tonight.

"It's usually an intense game and an exciting game, so you've got to be prepared to bring your best effort," he said.

McCutcheon is just one of 11 rookies on the Tommies' roster and happens to be tied for first in team scoring.

The freshman winger from Ithaca, N.Y. has been playing on STU's top line with Kyle McAllister and Chris Cook, a former teammate in Kingston of the Ontario Hockey League.

Eagles said McCutcheon has been the early go-to-guy.

"He's playing the power play, he's killing penalties, he's filling a lot of roles right now and we're asking a lot of him but he's earned that right because he's come in here and he's played well."

St. Thomas is coming off a split decision last weekend in Nova Scotia where it picked up two points in Wolfville against Acadia on Saturday but dropped Sunday's tilt against the Saint Mary's Huskies 2-1.

The Reds enter Wednesday's action on a three-game winning streak and in a tie for first in the conference with St. Francis Xavier.

UNB coach Gardiner MacDougall said Wednesday's game would be exciting for any or all of the seven rookies on his roster.

"For a first-year player, it's an exciting opportunity," he said. "To go down to the LBR, that type of atmosphere in that rink obviously brings out the best in both hockey clubs."


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