Flaman & Hoyt score for Acadia

The Saint Mary’s Huskies downed the Acadia Axemen 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday night at the Dauphinee Centre.  

It didn’t take long for the action to start as the Huskies had their first good chance just 1:30 into the game. Andrew Coxhead (Bedford, NS) had quick shot from just outside the crease that was stopped by Axemen goaltender Zachary Paputsakis (Rockland, ON). 

Just minutes later Saint Mary’s was pressuring again when the puck rolled around the boards to defenceman Connor Olson (London, ON). He fired a shot through traffic to open the scoring just 5:06 into the period with his first career AUS goal. 

Acadia was awarded a powerplay late in the frame as David Berube (Price, QC) got called for interference. The Axemen worked the puck around the zone nicely looking to tie the game but couldn’t get shots on net. Cameron Pound (White Lake, ON) and Keith Getson (Bridgewater, NS) each blocked a shot to make things easy on their goalie Jeremy Helvig (Kingston, ON). 

Shots were 11-6 in favour of the Huskies, as they led 1-0 into the intermission. 

The visiting Axemen got out to a quick start in the second frame as Liam Kidney (Enfield, NS) drove puck to the net but was stopped by Helvig. The second chance opportunity from in close by Brendan Sellan (Hanover, ON) was also stopped.  

Just seconds later it was Luke Zazula (Langley, BC) that launched a shot from the blue line that saw the puck ring off the crossbar. Later in the same shift it was Nick Deakin-Poot (Georgetown, ON) that was denied from the slot.  

Despite not being able to capitalize through half the game, Acadia pressed on, and their patience would be rewarded. Corson Hopwo (Duncan, BC) made a nice move to enter the offensive zone and get a shot off. Helvig made the initial save but the rebound was slid home by Jack Flaman (Vibank, SK).  

On the next shift the Axemen took a penalty and SMU made no mistake on the powerplay to retake the lead just 44 seconds after Acadia tied the game. It was another rebound goal from in close scored by Coxhead after the initial shot by Justin MacPherson (East Gwillimbury, ON) was stopped. 

Acadia led in shots 27-25 after 40 minutes of play but it was SMU with the 2-1 lead. 

A SMU penalty at the end of the second period gave Acadia an early powerplay. It only took 61 seconds into the final period before the Axemen tied the game on a shot by Peyton Hoyt (Lincoln, NB) from the left circle. 

The middle of the frame saw the Axemen with back-to-back powerplays. Acadia was able to score on the second advantage, but the goal was immediately waved off due to the net being off its pegs.  

Shots were 31-27 after regulation and with no one scoring during five minutes of 3-on-3 overtime the teams headed to a shootout.  

Jeremy Helvig shut the door on both Acadia shooters, while Bradey Johnson (Lindsay, ON) and Charlie Dafonseca (Thornhil, ON) scored on their attempts to give Saint Mary’s the 3-2 shootout victory. 

The win improves the Huskies record to 8-6-0 on the season. They’ll be back in action next Friday, Nov. 25, as they welcome the Moncton Aigles Bleus to the Dauphinee Centre. 

The Axemen loss drops their record to 3-8-1-1 on the season. Their next game also comes Friday, when they host the #1 ranked UNB REDS in Wolfville. 

Recap by Troy Langstaff / SMU Huskies Athletics
Photos by Mona Ghiz / SMU Huskies Athletics 

Paputsakis makes 27 saves in Axemen loss

By Thomas Becker/ UPEI Athletics

The Panthers (9-4-0) are playing some of their best hockey in recent memory and are amidst a torrid stretch, having won eight of their last nine games, including Wednesday night’s 2-0 victory over the Acadia Axemen. 

Drake Pilon got the team going early in the game, scoring his fifth goal of the season, while captain Troy Lajeunesse added the dagger late—his team-leading ninth of the campaign. 

They showed off chemistry on a power play at 4:45 of the first period when Pilon took a pass from Kurtis Henry in the right circle, where the third-year forward sniped a shot in the top right corner for the game’s opening goal. 

Another reason for the team’s success is their defensive schemes and simply staying out of the penalty box. At full strength, the Panthers are tough to score against (allowed just 24 goals at full strength), and they showed it again against Acadia. 

“Right now, we’re one of the most disciplined teams in the league,” said Panthers head coach Forbes MacPherson. “If you give up three or four more power play opportunities, eventually it will come back to haunt you.” 

UPEI limited the Axemen to just 19 shots and held them scoreless on three power play chances. Lucas Fitzpatrick got the nod between the pipes again after recording his first AUS win last Saturday, and the sophomore netminder didn’t disappoint as he registered his second straight shutout. 

After a scoreless second period, the Panthers kept the pressure on the Axemen in the offensive zone and eventually added the dagger, courtesy of Lajeunesse. On the play, TJ Shea gathered the puck along the end boards and passed it in front to Lajeunesse, who beat goaltender Zachary Paputsakis with the one-time to seal the 2-0 win. 

UPEI looks to capture their fifth straight win this Friday when they host the Saint Mary’s Huskies at Eastlink Centre, while the Axemen aim to end their five-game skid against the Huskies Saturday night.  

Hopwo & Tomilson score in Acadia loss

Story courtesy of Université de Moncton Athletics

The Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus (8-4-0=16pts, 2nd position) found the back of the net four times in the first twenty minutes of play and then held on for a 4-2 win against the Acadia University Axemen (3-8-1=7pts, 6th  position) Saturday in an Atlantic University Sport men’s hockey game at the J.-Louis-Lévesque Arena in front of more than 660 spectators. 

The Aigles Bleus opened the scoring at 3:09 thanks to number 25, Maxime Boudreau (Denis Toner), followed closely by teammate Jérémy Michel (Vincent Lanoue, Mika Cyr) three minutes later. The third was scored by Jacob Dion (Nathaël Roy, Mika Cyr) at 12:20. The Axemen responded only a minute later thanks to Corson Hopwo’s goal (Hudson Wilson, Jack Flaman). At the very last second of the first period, Rémy Anglehart (Olivier-Luc Haché) brought the score to 4-1 to close this period. 

The Axemen added their second in the second period thanks to Brendan Tomilson (Peach, Sellan) at 8:13. Despite numerous attempts in the third period, no goals were scored. Mika Cyr was named the first star of the game, Maxime Boudreau the second and Nathaël Roy the third. Zachary Paputsakis saw 34 pucks in the loss in front of the visitors’ net and Étienne Montpetit (13) and Félix-Anthony Éthier (13), 26 for the win. Moncton had one power-play goal in three attempts and Acadia was 0-for-9.   

The Aigles Bleus play at home against the Dalhousie Tigers on Friday and the St. Francis Xavier University X-Men on Saturday, both at 7 p.m. 

The Acadia Axemen will play the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Charlottetown.  

McCollum stops 22 shots in loss

WOLFVILLE, N.S. – Make it two straight losses for the Acadia Axemen (3-6-1) as the UNB Reds cruised to their seventh straight win with a 5-0 victory.

This game marks the third of the season that Acadia has been shut out by their opponent. Coming up against the hottest goalie in the AUS, Samuel Richard (Ste. Catherine, Que.), did not help Acadia either.

UNB started their offensive onslaught early in the first period when Brady Gilmour (Grafton, Ont.) knocked a puck in at the side of the net.

Simon Pinard (Drummondville, Que.) added to UNB’s lead shortly after the midway point of the period when he split the Acadia defence and slid a backhand past the Acadia goalie Conor McCollum (Pickering, Ont.) to double his team’s lead.

Acadia’s best chance in the period came when Liam Kidney (Enfield, N.S.) got a partial breakaway. However, Kidney was unable to solve the UNB goalie.

At the end of the period, the REDS held a 12-9 lead in shots.

The second period saw UNB continue their offensive dominance, putting up another two goals.

Jason Willms (Kitchener, Ont.) potted the first goal of the second for the REDS, 33 seconds into the period while shorthanded.

A turnover by Acadia exiting their zone led to Willms being left alone in front of Acadia’s net. Willms deked out McCollum and slid the puck under his pads to extend the UNB lead to 3-0.

Cole MacKay (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) notched the other goal of the period, as he fired a one-timer into the top right corner of the net in the final minutes of the second to give the REDS a 4-0 advantage.

UNB held a 20-15 lead in shots heading into the final frame.

Kade Landry (Gowanstown, Ont.) capped off the scoring for UNB with just under two minutes remaining in the game.

Landry stepped in from the blueline and wired a wrist shot high off the left side post and in to put his team up 5-0.

Together, Acadia and UNB recorded 124 minutes in penalties in the third. Most of the penalties came during a pair of scraps late in the period.

Conor McCollum stopped 22 of 27 shots for the Axemen, while his UNB counterpart Samuel Richard turned aside all 20 shots he faced on the night for his first shutout of the season.

UNB players Austen Keating (Guelph, Ont.) and Michael Petizian (Mississauga, Ont.) were awarded Subway First and Third Stars of the Night, respectively. Matt McKim (St. John’s, Nfld.) was named the second star for Acadia.

Acadia now heads out on a four-game road trip that will see them take on UNB, Moncton, UPEI, and Saint Mary’s, before returning home on Friday, November 25^th to take on UNB again. The REDS host Acadia and Saint Mary’s beginning this Friday with the Axemen.

Recap by Joshua Foote, Acadia Athletics Communications