Axemen deliver 3 goals in second period for win vs. Tigers

McNulty with a goal & an assist in win

HALIFAX, N.S. – In AUS men’s hockey action at the Halifax Forum, the AcadiaΒ AxemenΒ defeated the Dalhousie Tigers 3-1 in a game where quality chances were hard to come back.Β 

The first period saw a high pace of play that would persist throughout the game, but good chances were not as easy to attain. Dalhousie got on the board first when Mike Evelyn (Ottawa, ON) put a great wrist shot from the high slot into the net at 15:11 to make it 1-0. The speed was still there, but no goals came of it as the first period ended with a 1-0 Tigers lead.Β 

In the second period, Acadia struck back when Sam FiorettiΒ (Calgary, AB) knocked it in off a slight scramble in front of the Dalhousie net at 2:58 on the powerplay to tie it up at 1-1. TheΒ AxemenΒ took the lead when Kyle Farrell (Howie Corner, NS) shot it in from right in close at 9:08 to make the score 2-1. It looked like Acadia would get another one, but Dalhousie put together a fantastic kill of a two minute 5 on 3, which even included a Tigers breakaway, to keep it to within one. That wouldn’t last long as Subway Player of the Game Marc McNulty (Medicine Hat, AB) scored off a shorthanded 2 on 1 at 17:08 to give theΒ AxemenΒ a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes.Β Β Β 

As the third period got underway, the intensity that was present from the start was still there, now with very audible verbal jabs as emotions were running high. The best chance came when an Acadia point shot hit the post and stayed out with about six minutes left in regulation. TheΒ AxemenΒ kept theirΒ defenceΒ tight down the stretch, as they have for most of the game, and got the victory.Β Β 

TheΒ AxemenΒ outshot the Tigers 27-26. RobertΒ SteevesΒ (St. Joseph-de-Kent, NB) made 25 saves for theΒ Axemen, while CorbinΒ BoesΒ (Saskatoon, SK) stopped 24 shots for the Tigers.Β 

TheΒ AxemenΒ play next on Friday against the UPEI Panthers at 7 in Wolfville, while the Tigers next face theΒ StFXΒ X-Men on Wednesday at 7 at the Forum.Β 

Contributed by Mark Moffat, Dalhousie Athletics Communications