Category: Game Recaps

UNB Sweeps Best of 5 series, 3-0

The UNB REDS completed a semifinal sweep of the Acadia Axemen with a 4-1 victory Monday in Atlantic University Sport men’s hockey action.

The win secured a 3-0 series victory for the REDS, who advance to the AUS championship against the winner of the Saint Mary’s-Moncton series.

Ethan Ernst scored Acadia’s lone goal on the power play at 1:03 of the third period, assisted by Brady Burns. Cole Nagy won 12 of 18 faceoffs, while goaltender Thomas Couture made 38 saves on 42 shots.

UNB opened the scoring at 2:24 of the first period on a power-play goal from Kale McCallum, assisted by Cole MacKay and Benjamin Corbeil. The period saw multiple penalties, including a high-sticking call on UNB’s Sam McGinley at 14:27, but Acadia was unable to capitalize.

UNB extended its lead in the second period with two goals from Sean McGurn at 12:38 and 15:38. The REDS outscored Acadia 2-0 in the frame and maintained their shutout heading into the third.

Ernst’s goal early in the third brought Acadia within two, but UNB responded quickly when MacKay scored on the power play at 4:26. Acadia’s Bailey Peach had taken a minor penalty and a 10-minute misconduct for checking from behind.

McGurn led UNB with two goals and a plus-four rating, while McCallum and MacKay each contributed a goal and an assist. Corbeil added two assists, and Cody Morgan finished with a plus-four rating.

Axemen return home for Game 3 on Monday night

(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS scored three times in the first period and three in the third on route to a 7-1 win over the Acadia Axemen on Friday night and a two-games-to-none lead in their best-of-five Atlantic University Sport semi-final series. 

The game was played before a sellout crowd of 3374 spectators at UNB’s Aitken Centre. 

Macauley Carson (Midhurst, ON) scored four goals to lead the REDS. He was named Tim Horton’s Player of the Game. 

The fourth-year REDS’ forward opened the scoring just 2:55 into the first period when he took advantage of an Axemen turnover, skated in alone and lifted a backhand past Acadia goaltender Thomas Couture (Levis, QC) for a short-handed goal. 

His second goal came five minutes later. 

Liam Kidney (Enfield, NS) scored Acadia’s only goal at the 10:40 mark of the first, but Peter Reynolds (Fredericton, NB) restored UNB’s two goal lead a short time later. 

Cody Morgan (Gilford, ON) pushed UNB’s lead to 4-1 with the only goal of the second period. 

Carson added two more in the third and Reynolds got his second of the game. 

Cole Huckins (Upper Kingsclear, NB), Benjamin Corbeil (Granby, QC), and Justin Nolet (Mississauga, ON) all had two assists for the REDS. 

Carson’s four-goal game came a night after Morgan recorded a hat trick in UNB’s 5-2 win in the series opener. 

Samuel Richard (Ste. Catherine, QC) made 18 saves on 19 shots for the win in the UNB net. Couture made 35 saves on 42 shots. 

The Axemen will host the third game of the series Monday night. Game time is 7:00pm. 

The winner of this series advances to the AUS Championship Series and qualifies for the U SPORTS Championship, in Ottawa, March 20-23. 

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics 

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics 

Four 3rd period goals lead Axemen to win

The Acadia Axemen rallied in the third period to defeat the StFX X-Men 6-4 on Saturday, completing a sweep in their best-of-three AUS quarterfinal series.

Liam Kidney led Acadia with two goals and an assist, including an empty-net marker to seal the win. Kian Bell scored a power-play goal, while Peyton Hoyt and Cole Nagy each found the back of the net. Cam MacDonald notched the game-winning goal and won nine faceoffs.

StFX struck first, with Charlie Callaghan scoring just eight seconds into the game. Bell answered for Acadia at 8:35 on the power play, and Hoyt put the Axemen ahead at 10:25. The X-Men tied it before the first intermission, as Raegan Wiles scored at 18:58.

StFX built a 4-2 lead in the second period with goals from Ethan Burroughs at 1:38 and Callaghan at 10:27. However, Acadia took over in the third, beginning with Kidney’s goal at 2:33. Nagy tied it at 7:52 before MacDonald put the Axemen ahead 30 seconds later. Kidney added an empty-netter at 19:23.

Callaghan finished with two goals for StFX, while Burroughs had a goal and an assist. Wiles contributed a power-play goal and a plus-one rating. Alex Christopoulos led the X-Men with a plus-three rating, and goaltender Patrick Leaver made 34 saves.

With the win, Acadia advances to the AUS semifinal against UNB. Game 1 is set for Thursday night in Fredericton.

Axemen look to close out series at home on Saturday night

ANTIGONISH, NS – The Acadia Axemen defeated the STFX X-Men 2-1 in AUS quarter-final playoff action on Thursday evening at the Charles V Keating Centre. The closely contested win gives the Axemen the early 1-0 advantage in the best-of-three series, which continues Saturday in Wolfville.   

The first period was a tight physical battle, with the Axemen fending off a pair of early STFX powerplays, before going on the man advantage themselves. The shots and scoring chances were even throughout, and despite a late flurry from the X-Men, the game remained scoreless after 20 minutes.   

The Axemen came out with some jump in the second, forcing STFX netminder Patrick Leaver to come up with some key saves. Acadia went on the powerplay five minutes into the period, but the STFX penalty kill held tight.  

Acadia hit paydirt on their next powerplay chance though, with a point shot from Tyler Deline hitting the back of the net at the 12-minute mark. STFX picked up the pace looking for an equalizer, but strong play from Acadia goalie Thomas Couture kept the game 1-0 in favor of the visitors after 40 minutes.   

Peyton Hoyt made it 2-0 for Acadia 70 seconds into the final period, one-timing a shot from the slot off a pass from Liam Kidney.   

Leaver blanked Acadia defender Charlie Desroches from in close with 10 minutes to go and continued to stand tall for the rest of the game.  

STFX defender Charlie Callaghan came up big once again for the Blue and White, firing home a shot from the point through traffic with five minutes to go, cutting the lead in half.   

The X-Men pulled Leaver late, but weren’t able to find the equalizer. Leaver finished the game with 27 saves, while Couture had 28 stops in the win.  

Deline was named first star while Callaghan earned second star honors and STFX’s Ethan Burroughs got the third star nod.   

The series now moves to Wolfville for Game 2, on Saturday, February 22 at 7 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, is scheduled for Monday, February 24, at STFX. 

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Recap courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Athletics   

Quarterfinal round Game 1: Thursday, Feb. 20 – Acadia at STFX

Game 2: Saturday, Feb. 22 – STFX at Acadia

Game 3: Monday, Feb. 24 – Acadia at STFX (if necessary)

All games at 7 p.m.

Couture with 25 saves for shutout

WOLFVILLE, N.S. — Acadia shut out UPEI 4-0 in AUS men’s hockey action Saturday at Acadia University.

Brendan Tomilson opened the scoring for the Axemen at 13:01 of the first period, with assists from Corson Hopwo and Cole Nagy. Liam Kidney added a power-play goal at 15:23, assisted by Adam McMaster and Ethan Ernst, to give Acadia a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

After a scoreless second period marked by penalties and missed opportunities, Tyler Deline extended the Axemen’s lead with a goal at 8:06 of the third, set up by Bailey Peach and McMaster. Nagy sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at 17:52, assisted by Hopwo.

Goaltender Thomas Couture made 25 saves for the shutout.

UPEI’s Keiran Gallant and Elias Cohen had strong performances in the faceoff circle, with 11 and 10 wins, respectively. Kaleb Pearson led the Panthers with six shots on goal, but they couldn’t solve Couture.

The Axemen hit the road next weekend for games against the Université de Moncton and the University of New Brunswick.

Burns with 2 points and Couture 30 saves in win

WOLFVILLE — The Acadia Axemen defeated the St. Francis Xavier X-Men 4-2 on Friday in Atlantic University Sport men’s hockey action at Acadia University.

Peyton Hoyt opened the scoring at 11:54 of the first period, assisted by Brady Burns and Conor Shortall. Acadia extended the lead to 2-0 at 17:00 when Ethan Ernst scored on the power play, with Burns and Tyler Deline drawing assists. StFX had a two-man advantage earlier in the period after penalties to Marc Boudreau and Corson Hopwo but failed to capitalize.

Adam McMaster put the Axemen up 3-0 early in the second period, scoring on the power play at 4:06 off passes from Liam Kidney and Brendan Sellan. StFX pushed back, with Logan Chisholm cutting the deficit to 3-1 at 10:46. Chisholm was set up by Simon Motew and Cole Stewart. The X-Men pulled within one at 17:51 when Raegan Wiles found the back of the net, assisted by Chisholm.

The teams battled in a scoreless third period until Brendan Tomilson secured the victory for Acadia with an empty-net goal at 19:34. StFX’s Ben Mercer was called for high-sticking at 5:18, giving Acadia a power-play opportunity, but the Axemen couldn’t add to their lead.

McMaster finished with the game-winning goal and a power-play marker for Acadia. Burns recorded two assists, while Ernst also scored on the power play. For StFX, Chisholm had a goal, 12 faceoff wins, and an assist on Wiles’ goal.

In net, Acadia’s Thomas Couture made 30 saves in the win, while Lucas Pfeil stopped 29 shots for StFX.

Next weekend the Axemen host UNB and Moncton on Friday and Saturday nights at Andrew H McCain Arena.

Burns and MacDonald with 3 points each

The Acadia Axemen beat the Dalhousie Tigers 8-3 to open the second half of their season at the Halifax Forum on Monday night.  

The Axemen opened the scoring six minutes into the first period when Brady Burns found the back of the net. Tyler Deline extended the Axemen’s lead at 7:38 during a power play.  

Dalhousie had several opportunities, including three shots by Brody Fournier, one of which hit the pipe at 15:38, but could not capitalize. The period concluded with multiple penalties, including an unsportsmanlike conduct against Zak Smith, leaving the score 2-0 in favor of the visitors. 

The second period saw a strong performance from Acadia, with three consecutive goals scored by Cam MacDonald, Marc Boudreau, and Brendan Tomilson in the first four minutes, setting the score at 5-0.  

Dalhousie responded with a goal at 12:23 by Liam Peyton, assisted by Jack Harper and Colin MacDougall, marking the team’s first goal of the period. Despite Dalhousie’s efforts, Acadia added another goal with two second left in the period by Bailey Peach, concluding the period with a score of 6-1 in favor of Acadia. 

In the third period, Dalhousie showed resilience with Paul Hughes scoring at 15:10, assisted by Ryan Del Monte and Colin MacDougall, marking his first goal of his AUS career. Shortly after, at 17:57, Liam Peyton added another goal for Dalhousie with assists from Jared Cosman and Joseph Serpa.  

Despite these efforts, Acadia maintained their lead, winning the game 8-3, with seven different Axemen finding the back of the net.  

Dalhousie’s Nicholas Chenard made 31 saves in the loss. Acadia’s Thomas Couture turned away 24 shots to earn the win.  

Burns was named player of the game with three points on the night.  

The win evens up Acadia’s record who now sit at 10-10 on the season. Dalhousie slips to 3-17 this season.  

Next game for Dalhousie is Friday when they travel across town to face the Saint Mary’s Huskies. Acadia returns home on Friday, hosting STFX at 7pm.