CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI - The Alberta Golden Bears will play for a 17th University Cup title after they knocked off the host UPEI Panthers 4-1 in the national semifinal on Saturday evening. 

Bears captain Matt Fonteyne and alternate captain Nolan Volcan each recorded a goal and an assist, while Eric Florchuk and Tyler Preziuso also scored in the win. Ethan Kruger stopped all 18 shots he faced before being replaced due to injury by Matt Berlin in the third, who made four saves on five shots. 

The win sends Alberta to their 24th University Cup Final, and fourth in a row. It is only the second time in program history the Bears have made four-straight national finals, joining the 1977-80 squads. 

Alberta will play the UNB Reds in tomorrow's final at 4:00 p.m. MT. It will be the fifth time the two storied programs have met in the national final, and first since UNB earned a 4-2 win over Alberta in Lethbridge in 2019. Alberta is 3-1 all-time against UNB in the U SPORTS Final. 

Alberta took a lead just 23 seconds into the game when Matt Fonteyne got by a defender and delivered a pass in front to Eric Florchuk, who slipped a backhand by Jonah Capriotti. After that, it was a defensive battle throughout the period as both teams combined for just 14 shots, with the Panthers carrying the edge 8-6.

The top power play unit in the country went to work early in the second period. While on the two-man advantage, Dawson Davidson found Matt Fonteyne with a long cross-pass, and the third-year forward didn't disappoint, as he beat Capriotti glove-side with the one-timer.

Late in the frame, Alberta capitalized on a friendly bounce when Tyler Preziuso's shot hit Nolan Volcan and lingered in front of the net before Volcan snuck a shot by Capriotti and the right post to make it 3-0.

Preziuso added another goal for Alberta at 12:59, all but sealing the win.

UPEI's Conor MacEachern denied the Golden Bears a shutout after firing a slap shot by backup netminder Matt Berlin.

Nike Top Performers
UPEI: Kurtis Henry
Alberta: Matt Fonteyne