WOLFVILLE, N.S. — In an upset that can only be cogently described as stunning, the Rams men's hockey team vanquished the mighty University of New Brunswick Reds 2-1 Friday, advancing to the U Cup semifinals in the process. With exceptional goaltending and key contributions from their top forwards, the Rams played a clean, composed, and well-executed game when it mattered most. 

Just 17 seconds after puck drop, New Brunswick goaltender Rylan Parenteau wandered out of his crease to grab a bouncing puck that was skidding down the ice. As the puck took an awkward bounce off the back boards, Kevin Gursoy—who played in Nova Scotia as a member of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's (QMJHL) Halifax Moosheads—was waiting in the slot to fire it home, which he did with ecstatic gusto to give the Rams an early 1-0 lead. Clearly unsatisfied with being down, the Reds quickened their play significantly in the proceeding minutes, but weren't able to get on the board, despite having two power plays in the first frame.
 

?? MHKY: GOAL with 17 secondes #18 Kevin Gursoy give the advance to the Ryerson Rams

Avec seulement 17 secondes le #18 Kevin Gursoy ouvre la marque pour les Ryerson Rams#ChaseTheGlory | #ViserHaut pic.twitter.com/GnNPittQdi

— U SPORTS Hockey (@USPORTS_Hockey) April 1, 2022

"Going into the [McGill] game, we put a huge emphasis on having a fast start and some things we can do to have a fast start," Rams head coach Johnny Duco said of his team's first period. "I thought the guys took that exact same game plan that we talked about pre-game and we were able to execute it today."

In the early moments of the second period, Domenico Commisso corralled the puck at the top of the faceoff circle to Parenteau's left, faked a slapshot, snuck around a falling Reds defender, then lasered a shot past New Brunswick's netminder to give the Rams an impressive 2-0 lead. For the remainder of the middle frame, New Brunswick remained pesky, but still was not able to solve Rams goalie Garrett Forrest, who turned away 23 shots in the game's first 40 minutes. 
 

WATCH: pic.twitter.com/nNRWcNS2o5

— Rams Men's Hockey (@ramsmhockey) April 1, 2022

After the intermission, the Reds continued their offensive onslaught, surrounding Forrest with tight systems and high-quality scoring chances. But, just as he did all afternoon, Forrest stood strong until the period's eighth minute, when New Brunswick captain Samuel Dove-McFalls tipped a shot from behind the faceoff dot to finally get his team on the board.

Still, the broken shutout didn't seem to rattle the Rams' steady goaltender. With the Reds pressing, Forrest went into overdrive, shutting the door in the game's last five minutes as Reds forwards and blueliners alike threw pucks to the net with overwhelming tenacity. Ultimately, Forrest and his teammates—whom he said admirably laid it all on the line for him—prevented the Reds from tying the game and punched their ticket to the next round. 

"Whenever you've got guys that are willing to sacrifice their bodies, it gives us not only confidence, but energy out there," Forrest said of his team's dedication and hunger. "I'm at a loss for words, I'm happy for the boys right now."

"We felt that if we got to this level, we could compete with some of the best teams in the country," Duco added, alluding to their chaotic and thrilling playoff run. 

The Rams will compete for a spot in the U Cup Final on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET at Acadia's Andrew H. McCain Arena. Their opponent will be the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes who defeated UBC in double overtime on Friday night.