UNB tops Acadia 2-1 in OT
Acadia earns point, takes season series 3-1
The CIS #2 ranked Acadia Axemen were in Fredericton Friday night to take on the #3 ranked UNB Varsity Reds, and the game did not disappoint. Just 6 days after playing on Acadia’s home ice, which saw the Axemen come away with a 4-1 victory, UNB turned the tides on the visitors with a 2-1 overtime win.
With the win, UNB moves 3 points up on Acadia for top spot in the AUS; while Acadia earned an important point as they vie for one of the two spot spots which earn a first round playoff bye in the AUS. The Axemen now lead St. FX and SMU by 4 points with 3 games remaining on the season.
Tonight’s game saw UNB open the scoring with the only goal of the first period at 15:01, when Jordan Murray was able to slam home a shot on a broken scrambled play. The Varsity Reds and Axemen each had 8 shots in the opening period, with Acadia’s Brandon Glover and UNB’s David Shantz both standing tall in their respective team’s net.
Acadia came back and evened things up on the scoreboard in the second, as Brett Thompson was able to find Mike Cazzola to the side of the UNB net, and Cazzola shoveled the puck by Shantz to knot the score at one just 1:28 into the frame. Alex Beaton picked up the secondary assist on Cazzola’s 14th on the season. And that was the end of the scoring in regulation.
UNB outshot Acadia 12-5 in the second, and 9-2 in the 3rd for a 3 period total of 29-16 in favour of the home team.
In overtime, Randy Gazzola found himself with the puck infront of the Acadia net, with the Axemen goalie Glover down and out, Gazzola was able to find the back of the net to give UNB the win. Assists on the winner went to Philippe Halley & Cam Critchlow. UNB was 0 for 10 on the powerplay, while Acadia was 0 for 4 with the man advantage.
Acadia is back in action on Saturday as they face the U de M Aigles Bleus in Moncton, while UNB hosts the Dalhousie Tigers.