Category: Team Stories

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McMaster with 2 goals in Axemen loss

HALIFAX, N.S. – The Dalhousie Tigers posted a come from behind win against the Acadia Axemen at the Halifax Forum on Wednesday night. After being down 2-1 heading into the third period, the Tigers scored three late goals to win the game and move up in the AUS men’s hockey standings. 

The visitors were able to set the tempo early thanks to a Dalhousie penalty with only two minutes gone, but ultimately it was the host who struck first. 

A quick break through the neutral zone set Barret Kirwin (Barrie, ON) free on a two-on-one with Derek Gentile (Sydney, NS). Kirwin got around the defender and squared it to Gentile who made no mistake, shooting the first time before the goaltender could get across and giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead with just over four minutes gone in the period. 

It didn’t take long for Acadia to answer, however, Just a minute and a half later the Axemen had a breakaway of their own. Adam McMaster (Beamsville, ON) danced past his defender and hit a quick wrist shot into the top corner to tie the game for the Axemen. 

Acadia almost got another goal quickly after. Dalhousie’s Reilly Pickard (Halifax, NS) made one of his many saves in the period to keep the game all-square but some shoving after the play resulted in multiple penalties and a power play for the Tigers. Dalhousie couldn’t capitalize on the man advantage and was more on the back foot for the rest of the period. 

Pickard was forced into 10 saves in the period, many of which came in the latter half of the period as the Axemen asserted themselves more as the penalties for Dalhousie started to rack up. 

The first period ended 1-1. 

Acadia started the second period on a power-play thanks to a Dalhousie penalty with 10 seconds left in the first period. The Axemen were almost able to take advantage but a shot from close range went off the post and a save from Pickard just after momentarily stopped the Acadia pressure. 

It was the visitors who got on the board first in the second period thanks to McMaster again. With seven and a half minutes gone, McMaster scored his second goal of the night. Just like with this first goal, McMaster’s second was a result of a swift transition by the Axemen and quick hands from McMaster himself to work his way around the goalie. The goal put Acadia up 2-1. 

The Tigers couldn’t get settled for most of the second period, facing 21 shots from the Axemen in the period and only mustering nine of their own. The home team was lucky not to be down more heading into the third period, mostly thanks to the efforts of Pickard in net. Heading into the third period the Axemen led 2-1. 

It looked like the Axemen would hold on through the third period, especially when the Tigers got called for another penalty with eight and a half minutes remaining. However, the Tigers were able to break through the Axemen following a line-change and were rewarded with a short-handed goal to tie the game at 2-2. Darien Kielb (Hamilton, ON) scored the rebound following hard work by Gentile to hold off his defender while going to the ice. 

With just under five minutes left in the period, the Tigers flipped the game on its head. Following another line-change for the Axemen, Dalhousie was afforded a clear breakaway and this time it was Jarrett Baker (Black Rock, NS) who finished it off and gave the Tigers a 3-2 lead that looked improbable only a few minutes earlier. 

With a minute and a half remaining in regulation time, Dalhousie finished the game off with a great solo goal from Shaun Miller (Enfield, NS) who made it 4-2 for the Tigers, which is how the game would ultimately finish. 

Dalhousie’s Reilly Pickard had 38 saves and was named the Subway Player of the Game. 

Adam McMaster had two goals to lead the way for the Acadia Axemen. 

Dalhousie’s next game comes on Friday when the Tigers play Saint Mary’s at the Halifax Forum at 7 pm. 

This was Acadia’s last game before the winter break. The Axemen’s next game is on January 7th when they host Dalhousie. The puck drop is at 7 pm. 

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RICHMOND HILL, ON (U SPORTS) – A total of 102 student-athletes will represent Canada at the 30th FISU Winter Universiade, held from December 11-21 in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Axemen hockey standouts Logan Flodell and Garrett McFadden are included in the FISU Games Team Canada Roster. Flodell was named the AUS Most Valuable Hockey Player in 2019-20, while McFadden was on the 2018-19 AUS All-Rookie team and was named to the 2019-20 second-team AUS All-Star squad.

“This is a very well-deserved opportunity for both Logan and Garrett. They have been outstanding players in our program and we are very excited they have earned the opportunity to take part in this prestigious international event. They both have bright professional futures and this will be a great chance to showcase themselves while representing Canada,” said Acadia head coach Darren Burns.

U SPORTS announced on Tuesday that nine teams from seven sports will travel to Switzerland to take part in the event, originally scheduled for January 2021. Canada will compete in ice hockey (W & M), curling (W & M), alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, snowboarding and short track speed skating. This is the first FISU Universiade since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overall, some 144 people will be exhibiting the Maple Leaf in and around Lucerne, including coaches and mission staff. The complete list is available below.

“We are thrilled to have this exceptional group of student-athletes, coaches, and staff heading to Switzerland for what is sure to be an outstanding experience”, said Ben Matchett, Team Canada’s Chef de Mission. “It is always an honour to wear your nation’s colours, and we know that Team Canada will represent our country with pride at Lucerne 2021.”

“While we’re all excited to get back to sport and experience all that the Winter Universiade has to offer in a beautiful part of the world, our first priority will always be the health and safety of the Canadian delegation,” added Matchett. “FISU and the Lucerne organizing committee have put in place stringent protocols to ensure the safety of participants including mandatory vaccination and testing, and we know we all have a responsibility to keep ourselves and each other safe and healthy.”

This is the first time in nearly 50 years that the FISU Winter Universiade will be held in Switzerland, as the 1962 competition took place in Villars. In 2019, Canada won five medals in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, including one gold, two silver and two bronze. The best Canadian medal count was in Belluno, Italy in 1985 (18 medals; 5 gold, 5 silver, 8 bronze).

The Lucerne 2021 Opening Ceremony will take place on December 11 at 7:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m. EST, 10:30 a.m. PST). However, curling and ice hockey matches will occur in the days leading up to the official opening.

“We are very proud of every student-athlete and staff member representing Team Canada at the 2021 FISU Winter Universiade,” said Lisette Johnson-Stapley, Chief Sport Officer at U SPORTS. “I applaud them all for their diligence and patience as we waited for these games to arrive after an 11-month delay. The entire Mission team and coaching staff are working very hard to provide the student-athletes the best possible and safest experience in Switzerland. I wish them all good luck in their final preparation.”