Bronze 2017 U SPORTS Cavendish University Cup: Acadia lays the lumber to win bronze, 7-3 over StFX

Seniors Pettersson with 4 points, Clarke with 3 in Axemen win

FREDERICTON (U SPORTS) – Acadia forward Michael Clarke (Halifax, N.S.) had two goals in the first period, and Daniel Pettersson (Toronto, Ont.) added two in the second to lead the Axemen to a 7-3 win over StFX, in the bronze medal game at the 2017 U SPORTS Cavendish Farms University Cup.

University Cup website: www.universitycup.ca

Acadia led 2-0 after 20 minutes, but Sam Studnicka (Windsor, Ont.) scored for the X-Men just 14 seconds into the second period tocut the deficit in half . Acadia would forge ahead though for good, scoring four more in the frame to put the game away. Boston Leier (Saskatoon, Sask.)  found the back of the net at 12:03, followed just 31 seconds later by Liam Maaskant (Clinton, Ont). Pettersson  then tallied his first of two at 13:30, before Eric Locke’s (Toronto, Ont.) power play marker with 1:34 to go. Pettersson, would add his second with 22 seconds to play in the frame.

Nathan Pancel (Ottawa, Ont.) StFX within three just under three and a half minutes into the third before Taylor Makin (Lethbridge, Alta.) rounded out the scoring for Acadia with a power play goal at 19:44

Acadia outshot StFX 34-29 in the contest.  

The game was the ninth meeting of the season between the two teams, with StFX winning both the season series 4-1 and the best-of-five AUS semifinal 3-0.

Acadia head coach Darren Burns said the bronze medal was a nice way to finish the season, after coming into the tournament seeded eighth.

“This shows the passion of our players,” he said. “Guys played with integrity and character. It was tough to turn around after yesterday’s loss, but we had to pick up and battle on, and we did.”

On the other side, StFX head coach Brad Peddle said the turn-around was not an easy one for his players, after falling to Saskatchewan 8-0 in Saturday’s semifinal 

“It is a different experience playing at 9:30 Sunday morning. Twelve hours ago, we were just getting around to our post-game meal,” said Peddle.

Acadia’s Player of the Game, Michael Clarke, who missed the AUS consolation series against Saint Mary’s along with the quarterfinals and semifinals of the U SPORTS University Cup, was asked his thoughts of the early time of the bronze medal game.

“It was quick turn-around but was kind of interesting since we haven’t played a game that early like this since we were a young kid like in pee wee or bantam, so you could kind of reminisce of your early hockey days and it was kind of special for those guys on the team who won’t probably play another game of hockey in their life. I think it was a suiting finish to a couple of great careers”, commented Clark.