Coach MacAdam Coach MacAdam

Mike Kelly Mike Kelly

Kevin Rochford Kevin Rochford

Dave Mancuso Dave Mancuso

Mark Jeffrey Mark Jeffrey

UNB had Don MacAdam back as coach, with Jerry Kelly and Tom Coolen as his assistants. The Red Devils had lost Scott Brogan, John Benson, Gary Clark, Mike David, Ian MacDonald and Jim Somers, but they had most of the key players back and added some power in Jamie Frizzell, Mark Jeffrey, Bill MacDonald, Terry Balcom, Tom St. James and Brian Thompson.
The Devils got off to a stumbling start losing the two games on their opening road trip to Acadia and St. Mary's, but then reeled off one of the best streaks by a UNB team when they won 11 straight through mid January. The loss to St. Mary's was later reversed as St. Mary's had used ineligable players and was reduced to an 0-24 record (they had won 13), so the only other loss was to UPEI 4-3 in overtime.

UNB finished first with a 21-3 by leading the league with fewest goals against. Although they were among the league leaders in goals for, nobody finished among the leaders, as Mike Kelly led with 16-15-31 in 24 games.

There was a low point during the season when Tom St. James opted to turn Pro with Rochester Amerians of the AHL after logging 5-12 in 12 games, but the Devils didn't skip a beat, winning all but one game after he left.

When it came time to dole out the All-Stars, UNB's team first approach didn't earn them any first team picks, but goalie Kevin Rochford, defenseman Dave Mancuso and winger Mark Jeffrey were all 2nd team selections. Rochford was also selected as the UNB Male Athlete of the Year.

In the first playoff round the Red Devils knocked off Acadia, but had a harder time with University of Moncton, winning 4-3 and 5-3 in the two game set to become AUAA champs for the first time since 1963-64.

That win took them to a playoff at home with the very powerful University of Toronto team coach by Tom Watts (correction: Mike Keenan). In the first game they were outshot 38-21 and lost 5-2 and then dropped the second tilt 3-2 (shots were 37-21) in front of a jam packed Aitken Centre. The Devils were 0 for 17 on the powerplay and did about as well as could be expected against a veteran team.