NEW HAMPSHIRE EDGED BY NEW BRUNSWICK IN EXHIBITION, 4-3
James vanRiemsdyk scores two goals for Wildcats

Thomas Fortney scored a shorthanded goal for the Wildcats.

DURHAM, N.H. - James vanRiemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.) tallied two goals, but it was too little as the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team fell, 4-3, to the University of New Brunswick on Friday night in an exhibition tune-up at the Whittemore Center.

New Brunswick struck first at 4:42 in the first period when Rob Hennigar rushed in and fired a shot on net that UNH goaltender Kevin Regan (South Boston, Mass.) swept away to his right. Hunter Tremblay, who was trailing the play, scooped up the rebound and put the puck past Regan on his right side to give the Varsity Reds a 1-0 lead.

The Varsity Reds padded their lead 12 seconds into the second period when Hennigar recorded his second assist after he set up a John Scott Dickson goal off the face off.

The Reds widened their advantage with just over five minutes remaining in the second frame on a Kevin Henderson goal to make it 3-0.

The Wildcats got on the board a minute later when vanRiemsdyk took a centering pass from fellow freshman Matt Campanale (Chester Springs, Pa.) and found the back of the net, beating New Brunswick goaltender Michael Ouzas over his left shoulder.

The Wildcats cut into the two-goal deficit at 7:32 in the third period when sophomore Nick Krates (Palos Park, Ill.) fed junior Thomas Fortney (Webster Groves, Mo.), who snapped a wrist shot from the left circle that snuck just inside the left post. Kevin Kapstad (Boxboro, Mass.) was also credited with an assist on the play.

New Brunswick regained its two-goal cushion just over a minute later when Dustin Friesen slid the puck underneath a diving Brian Foster (Pembroke, N.H), who replaced Regan midway through the second period.

The 'Cats capped the scoring with one-tenth of a second remaining on the clock when senior Mike Radja (Yorkville, Ill.) slid the puck across the ice from the left circle on a 2-on-1 to vanRiemsdyk, who then beat Ouzas who could not slide back to the right in time to make the save.

The game was played in front of a crowd of 4,087.

The Wildcats return to action Friday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. when they take on Boston University in their season opener at Agganis Arena. The home opener for the 'Cats is Friday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. when they play host to Colorado College at the Whittemore Center.