StFX post 3-0 win over Axemen to tie series at one

Special teams the difference for StFX in Game 2

ANTIGONISH, NS – The StFX X-Men evened up the Subway AUS best-of-five semifinal series with a 3-0 shutout victory over the AcadiaΒ AxemenΒ Friday night in front of over 1000 fans at the Charles V. Keating Centre.Β 

All three X-Men goals came on special teams play as they had a pair of power play markers in the second period and a shorthanded goal in the third to seal up the Game 2 victory.Β 

The teams remained scoreless after the first period of play as StFX held a slight 9-8 advantage in shots.Β Acadia was unable to connect on two power play opportunities in the opening period and StFX was 0-1 on the man-advantage.Β 

Santino Centorame (Mississauga, ON) had the X-Men’s best scoring chance five minutes into the second period when he rang one of theΒ Axemen’sΒ goal post. StFX also had two power play opportunities early on in the period but were unable to capitalize.Β Β 

They finally connected on the power play at 10:43 whenΒ Kristoff Kontos (Pentanguishene, ON) fed Jagger Dirk (Penticton, BC) the puck at the top of the face-off circle as he skated in and unleashed a shot that beat RobertΒ SteevesΒ (St. Joseph-de-Kent, NB) in theΒ AxemenΒ net. Mark Tremaine (Dartmouth, NS) also assisted on the play.Β 

The X-Men increased their lead to 2-0 off another power play goal late in the second periodΒ with only 33 seconds left in the frame. Bryson Cianfrone (Stoney Creek, ON) fed a cross-ice pass to Cole MacDonald (Wetaskawin, AB) who whipped a quick shot into the Acadia net. Centorame also picked up a helper on the play.Β 

Shots were again close in the second period, 8-7 inΒ favourΒ of StFX, as they took the 2-0 lead into the locker room after 40 minutes.Β 

Both teams came out battling in the third period as theΒ AxemenΒ were looking to get on the board and get back into the game and the X-Men were looking to hold onto their lead.Β Β 

SamΒ StudnickaΒ (Windsor, ON) helped the X-Men cause when he scored at the 9:21 mark while shorthanded. AnthonyΒ DifrusciaΒ (Thorold, ON) picked off an Acadia puck while they were set up on the power play and sent it to a streakingΒ StudnickaΒ who broke in on aloneΒ Steeves. He was able to roof the puck over the glove ofΒ SteevesΒ while being taken down by anΒ AxemenΒ defenseman.Β 

The 3-0 lead heldΒ up through the remainder of the period as the X-Men evened up the best-of-five semifinal series at 1-1.Β 

StFX defenseman Jagger Dirk received Subway player of the gameΒ honoursΒ for the X-Men, whileΒ AxemenΒ forward SamΒ FiorettiΒ (Calgary, AB) received the same distinction for his squad.Β 

Final shots in the gameΒ favouredΒ the X-Men at 28-25 as Chase Marchand (Halifax, NS) picked up the shutout victory in the StFX net with 23 saves.Β SteevesΒ had 25 saves in the losing effort for Acadia.Β 

The series now shifts to Acadia for Games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Monday, February 25thΒ and 26th. Game time is 7:00 pm on both evenings inΒ Wolfville, N.S. Game 5, if necessary, will be back at StFX on Thursday, March 1st.Β Β 

Courtesy StFX Sports InformationΒ