Axemen hold on to edge X-Men 4-3

Despite spectacular goaltending from X-Men Owsley, Axemen prevail

A hot goalie can often mean the difference between victory and defeat.  On Saturday night, this was painfully evident to the Acadia Axemen.

The Axemen took on the St. FX X-Men in Wolfville last Saturday.  In their previous meeting, the Axemen had put away the X-Men in Antigonish by a 2-1 score.  Coming off a 7-2 win against Dalhousie the night before, it appeared as though the Axemen had regained their scoring touch.

The Axemen jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first period, riding an 18-5 edge in shots.  The second period brought more of the same, as Acadia began a 24 shot barrage on the St. FX goal.  But X-Men goaltender Drew Owsley proved to be more than equal to the task, making several key saves in rapid succession to keep his St. FX squad in the game.  Acadia struck on the power play to open a 3-1 lead, but Owsley’s outstanding play kept the Axemen from opening up a wider lead and putting the game away early.  At the end of the second period, the score read Acadia 3, St. FX 2.

St. FX regrouped in the third, outshooting Acadia 14-9 and suddenly it was the Axemen who were relying on their goaltender to keep them in the game.  Evan Mosher was spectacular when called upon, despite not having much work in the first two periods.  Mosher slammed the door shut in the Acadia net, turning aside wave after wave of St. FX shooters.  Two sparkling glove saves completed the evening for Mosher.

It wasn’t until an empty net goal in the last minute that Acadia could breathe a little easier, and even then, a power play goal with thirteen seconds left that brought the X-Men to within one added a little extra drama to an exciting and physical game that lived up to the billing.

Despite the win, there was one disconcerting note to the game.  Acadia forward Joe Gaynor had to be helped off the ice after a devastating check that struck his head.  He did not return to the game.  Jarrad Struthers of St. FX was given a game misconduct as a result of the head contact.

Michael Clarke, Mike Cazzola, Leo Jenner, and Tyler Ferry scored for Acadia.  Josh Day, Brandon Hynes, and Zackary MacQueen replied for St. FX.  Evan Mosher faced 32 shots in total on the night, while his counterpart Drew Owsley put on a clinic in the X-Men goal, facing 50 shots and only allowing three.

The next two games are at home for the Axemen, as they welcome UPEI on January 31, and St. Thomas on February 1.   Both games are at 7:00pm.  You can follow all the action on www.austv.ca, and on Twitter by following @axemenhockey and @openingfaceoff.

game story by Justin Halbersma of OpeningFaceoff.net