Author: acadiaaxemenhockey

Flodell with 40 saves in Axemen loss

(FREDERICTON, NB) In a renewal of one of Atlantic University Sports’ intensifying rivalries, the UNB REDS scored three times in a five-minute span of the third period as they beat the Acadia Axemen 4-1, Wednesday night.

“It feels awesome,” said veteran REDS forward James McEwan (Chatham, ON), named Subway Player of the Game. “We haven’t really been down before, in this early part of the season, so it was good. A little bit of adversity for us to learn from and have a little bit of a fire under our butts. I thought we did a really good job answering the bell during the third.”

The game was played before 1710 fully-vaccinated and masked fans at Fredericton’s Aitken Centre.

The visitors were first to get on the scoreboard when Peyton Hoyt (Fredericton, NB) converted a one-timer on a pass from Mason McCarty (Blackie, AB) at 13:35 of the opening period.

The teams played through a scoreless second period, but it wasn’t without scoring opportunities.

Just before the eight-minute mark, UNB’s Rylan Parenteau (Saskatoon, SK) made a sprawling save on a Jack Flaman (Vibank, SK) shot from point-blank range to hold the Acadia lead to just a goal.

Logan Flodell (Regina, SK) made an equally impressive save at 13:57, with UNB working a power-play. Moments later, he got some help from defenceman Reilly Webb (Stoney Creek, ON), who got a piece of Brady Gilmour’s (Grafton, ON) shot that was destined for the back of the net.

The two teams went to the second intermission with Acadia in front 1-0.

Cue the REDS scoring explosion.

UNB finally got to Flodell at 7:08 of the third, when James Phelan (Laval, QC) swept across the front of the net and slid the puck past the Axemen netminder.

Four minutes later, McEwan broke down the left wing, crossed in front of the Acadia net and lifted a back-hand shot over Flodell to give UNB the lead.

Less than a minute after McEwan’s goal, Jason Willms (Kitchener, ON) scored his first AUS goal to put UNB up 3-1.

The REDS were then forced to kill a double-minor penalty assessed to McEwan. A deflated Axemen squad could not muster a shot during the power-play.

Nicolas Guay (Chateauguay, QC) added an empty net goal to make the final score 4-1.

“The third period, we pride ourselves in it and we know it’s our best period and the guys had the urgency of getting pucks to the net, everybody was going to the net and I think it was about time that somebody would bang one in and James Phelan got us going,” said McEwan. “Lucky enough, we had three more to pot and we were so solid in the back end, everybody really contributed.”

The REDS outshot the Axemen 44-14, but Acadia controlled the game for the first 40 minutes.

“I thought we played really well in the first and the second,” said Hoyt, in his first season with the Axemen. “Then, you know how hockey is, you can get a couple of bounces and it can change just like that, but I thought the team played really well and I think we’ll just get better for the next game coming up on Friday.”

“It felt great,” said REDS defenceman Ross MacDougall (St. Stephen, NB). He spent three seasons with the Axemen, but is now pursuing a Masters degree at UNB. “I thought we played well all game, it was just a matter of time before we beat ’em. Flodell, obviously, had a great game. It was nice to finally break through and get a couple on him.”

With the win, the REDS are now 3-and-0. The Axemen fall to 1-and-2.

UNB now awaits a Friday night visit by the Saint Mary’s Huskies. Game time is 7:00pm.

The Axemen return home and will host Moncton that same night.

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics

Hoyt with Acadia goal

Antigonish, NS – The STFX X-Men hockey team gave the home crowd something to cheer about with a 2-1 victory over the Acadia Axemen Saturday night at the Keating Centre in a closely contested game.

The first two periods saw a lot of action but no goals scored as both Acadia’s Logan Flodell (Regina, SK) and STFX’s Joseph Raaymakers (Chatham, ON) kept clean sheets though 40 minutes.

There was no shortage of hits, and a minor boondoggle near the end of the second period resulted in 10-minute misconducts for X’s Declan Smith (Antigonish, NS) and Acadia’s Nicholas Deakin-Poot (Georgetown, ON).

STFX struck first in the third period with Matthew Philip (Ilderton, ON) finding twine while the X-Men were on a two-man power play. Liam Hawel (Arnprior, ON) fed STFX captain Santino Centorame (Mississauga, ON) in the low slot who fired a shot with Phillip banging in the rebound at the 2:02 mark.

Acadia made it a game just over a minute and a half later when Peyton Hoyt (Fredericton, NB) picked up the puck in the neutral zone and fired a shot from the slot that eluded Raaymakers.

The X-Men scored the game winning goal at 11:41 of the third period on a nice tic-tac-toe play. Zack Trott (Mulmur, ON) made a pass to Hawel across the slot, then Hawel snapped it right back to him and Trott buried the puck in the wide open Axemen goal. Matthew Struthers (Milton,ON) had the other assist on the play.

Acadia made things interesting with a power play with 17 seconds remaining in the game, but the X-Men held on for the victory.

With the win, STFX moves to 2-0-0 early in the regular season, while Acadia falls to 1-1.

Flodell earned the third star of the game for his 34 save performance. STFX’s Hawel received the second star, and X goaltender Raaymakers was the first star and Subway player of the game with his 32 saves and second win on the young season.

STFX next hits the ice on Wednesday to take on Dalhousie at home, while Acadia heads to UNB on Wednesday and hosts Moncton on Friday.

McFadden with 3 points in Acadia win

WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The Acadia Axemen (1-0-0) opened their regular season on a high note, securing a 5-2 victory over the Dalhousie Tigers (0-0-1) on Friday night.

On a night that saw the home crowd pay tribute to Acadia captain Garrett McFadden before the game, the defenceman also took home Subway First Star of the Game honours with a goal and two assists.

Dalhousie got on the board early in the first period, thanks in part to a full 2-minute 5-on-3 power-play.

Darien Kleib, who also nabbed second star of the night honours, scored on a wrist shot from inside the right face-off circle, which he rifled into the top left corner of the net to make it 1-0 for the Tigers.

Acadia responded with a beautiful goal from forward Loch Morrison with 7:48 left to play in the first. Defenceman Garrett McFadden carried the puck into the zone for Acadia and dangled past a Tigers defender before sliding the puck to Loch Morrison in front of the net, where he tucked it five-hole to tie the game at 1-1.

By the end of the first period, the shots were 10-6 for Acadia.

McFadden spiced things up for Acadia early in the second with an incredible solo effort to put the Axemen ahead 2-1. After breaking into the offensive zone with a 2-on-1 opportunity, McFadden slipped around the Dalhousie defender and roofed a backhand shot to make it 2-1.

Brett Crossley answered for Dalhousie late in the second period with a sneaky shot thrown past a diving Axemen goalie to tie the game at 2-2.

However, the Dalhousie lead was short-held, as Acadia recaptured the lead less than two minutes later. Peyton Hoyt was parked in front of the net, where he picked up his own rebounded tip shot and tucked it under the sprawling Tigers goalie to put Acadia up 3-2.

Logan Flodell made a pair of unbelievable saves for the Axemen in the second period. In both cases, Flodell threw himself across the net and somehow keeping the puck out both times while laying on his back.

Heading into the third period, the Axemen held a 21-15 lead in shots.

Acadia sealed the game with two unanswered goals in the third from third star of the night Jack Flaman and Tyler Hinam.

The Axemen capitalized on an early power-play in the third period to double up on the Tigers. Thanks to a huge point shot rebound, forward Jack Flaman – parked by the right side of the net – was able to slam the puck over the goal line to take a 4-2 lead for Acadia.

Hinam sealed the game for Acadia with an empty-net goal with just under two minutes left in the game.

The game took an unfortunate turn with under a minute to play, as a full line brawl broke out between the two teams that led to a combined 19 penalty minutes.

Acadia went 1-for-4 on the power-play, while Dalhousie went 1-for-7 on the night.

Logan Flodell turned aside 27 of 29 shots for Acadia, while Dalhousie goalie Connor Hicks stopped 29 of 33 shots.

Acadia will be on the road Saturday, Oct. 9 against the StFX X-Men and Wednesday, Oct. 13 against the UNB Reds before returning home Friday, Oct. 15 to face off against the Moncton Aigles Bleus. Dalhousie next plays Saturday, Oct. 9 at home against the Saint Mary’s Huskies.

Provided by Josh Foote, Acadia Athletics Communications

Colella with two assists for Acadia

WOLFVILLE, N.S – For the first time since the 2019-20 season, the Acadia Axemen played in front of fans in the Andrew H. McCain Arena. Despite a strong effort from Acadia, they dropped their first exhibition game of the season to the Saint Mary’s Huskies 4-3 in OT.

Saint Mary’s opened the scoring early, with a beautiful passing play that was finished by forward – and second star of the night – Dennis Busby when he cut in front of the net and tipped a pass under the crossbar.

Acadia responded late in the period with a goal from Subway First Star of the Night Mason McCarty to tie the game. McCarty scored after picking up a rebound in front of the net and shovelling it past the sprawling goaltender to make it 1-1.

By the end of the first period, the shots were 14-10 for the Axemen.

The Huskies were quick to break the tie in the second, as Nathan Dunkley broke in wide on the left and rifled a snapshot into the top right corner to make it 2-1.

Adam McMaster answered for the Axemen at the midpoint of the second period. Maurizio Colella got the puck in front of the net and pushed it out to McMaster, who threw it past the screened Huskies goalie into the wide-open right side of the net to knot the game at 2-2.

Despite opportunities on both sides, including a mad scramble in front of the Huskies net with multiple scoring chances that led to an Axemen power-play, the game remained tied heading into the final frame.

By the end of the second period Acadia pulled ahead in the shot department, leading 25-16.

While the game remained deadlocked for the first half of the final period, the tie was broken with 10:13 left to play in the final period on a goal from forward Loch Morrison.

Morrison took a pass from behind the net and fired it past the Saint Mary’s tender to give Acadia their first lead of the game.

Yet, the Huskies were determined to stay in the game, as they tied it late in the frame on a point shot from defenceman Zachary Hoffman wired past a diving Flodell.

A highlight of the third period came when Axemen goalie Logan Flodell dove across his crease to rob a sure Huskies goal with his blocker and glove.

With the game tied at the end of regulation, the Axemen and Huskies headed to a 5-minute 3-on-3 OT.

Although Acadia had multiple scoring opportunities in the extra frame, it was Huskies defenceman – and third star of the night – Cedric Ralph who ended the game on a 2-on-1. Ralph redirected a pass from Busby off his leg and into the net for the game-winner.

Axemen goaltender Logan Flodell turned aside 16 of 20 shots, while his Saint Mary’s counterpart Matt Welsh stopped 35 of 38 shots.

Acadia plays three more exhibition games before kicking off their regular season against the Dalhousie Tigers on Oct. 8 in Wolfville. The Axemen are in Fredericton, NB this Friday night to take on host UNB.

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Submitted by Josh Foote
Acadia Athletics Communications