Axemen knock off top ranked UNB 6-4

Stallard with 4 points in Acadia win

WOLFVILLE N.S. – The Acadia Axemen closed out the opening weekend of AUS regular season play with a statement 6-4 win against the reigning U SPORTS Champions, the UNB Reds.

Saturday night’s match-up between the UNB Reds and the Acadia Axemen began with one of the quieter periods of hockey this year at the Andrew H. McCain Arena. Neither team found the back of the net as both Acadia goalie Logan Flodell and UNB goalie Samuel Harvey were rock solid between the pipes, making 11 saves each.

UNB opened the scoring, just under five minutes into the second frame. Tristan Pomerleau circled from the Acadia blueline and darted down the left-wing boards, before driving the net and finishing off his own rebound through the five-hole of goalie Logan Flodell. The goal was assisted by Stephen Anderson and Patrick Watling.

Axemen Captain Liam Maskaant responded with his first goal of the season after a 3 on 2 rush concluded with Maskaant’s wrister being deflected into the top corner over the UNB goaltender’s glove. Eric Henderson and Jordy Stallard grabbed assists on the play.

Just 19 seconds later, forward Jack Flaman gave Acadia the lead beating Samuel Harvey with a wicked wrist shot following a play made by teammate Ross MacDougall. The goal was Flaman’s first of the regular season. (more…)

Axemen fall 5-2 to Moncton in season home opener

Corneil with goal & assist for Acadia

WOLFVILLE N.S. – The Acadia Axemen were handed their first loss of the regular season at their home opener on Friday night, as the visiting Moncton Aigles Bleus defeated them by a score of 5-2.

The Axemen were the first team on the board, a little over halfway through the first frame. Forward Johnny Corneil snatched the puck from the Moncton defenceman at the Acadia blue line and bolted up the ice eventually deking out the Moncton goalie, sliding home his first goal of the season.

Les Aigles Bleus responded with just 2:34 left in the first when Wilson Forest ripped a perfect slapshot from the point that beat Acadia goalie Dawson Carty over his shoulder. The powerplay goal was assisted by Maxime St-Cyr and Robbie Graham.

The two teams went to the dressing room following the first period tied up at 1.

Moncton was first to score in the second, just 1:38 into the period. Forward Joey Richard received a pass on the left-wing and wristed a shot through the Acadia defenceman beating Carty to the short-side. Maxime St-Cyr tallied his second assist of the night and Danick Crete also assisted on the goal. (more…)

McGill takes 5-4 OT win over Axemen in exhibition play

Southam scores twice for Acadia

WOLFVILLE N.S. – The Acadia Axemen’s preseason winning run came to an end after an overtime thriller on Saturday night against McGill University.

Hockey fans at the Andrew H. McCain Arena were once again treated to a whirlwind of a first period, and they certainly did not have long to wait for the first celebrations.

Just ten seconds into the game Axemen forward Cristiano Digiacinto redirected a Liam Maaskant point shot past the goalie for the first goal of the game. Stephen Harper was credited with the second assist.

At 4:31 into the period McGill’s Antoine Dufort-Plante struck on the power play after ripping one from the top of the circles over goaltender Dawson Carty’s right shoulder. Assists went to Nikolas Brouillard and Christophe Lalonde.

Just a few minutes later Rodney Southam tallied his own powerplay goal after tapping in a cross-crease pass from Ryan Foss at the 7:48 mark. Garrett McFadden was the second assist on the play.

With a little over three quarters gone in the frame, Phil Gilmour evened the score for McGill after a shot from the corner somehow found its way into the back of the Acadia net. Harlan Orr and Nathanael Halbert assisted.

An even 2-2 score is where the period concluded.

It took just 1:49 of second-period action for the next goal to be scored, as Ryan Penny was able to bury a Michael Cramarossa pass on a 2 on 1 rush to give McGill its first lead of the game.

Michael Campoli recorded his first point of the night with the other assist on the goal. (more…)

Axemen hand Aigles Bleus 8-2 loss in exhibition play

Flaman nets two in Acadia win

WOLFVILLE N.S. – The Acadia Axemen continued their preseason winning ways on Friday night with a high scoring win against the visiting Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus.

The first period was an action-packed 20 minutes, with both teams firing on all cylinders straight from the drop of the puck.

The Axemen opened the scoring with two quick goals in the first five minutes of action.

Garrett McFadden batted in the rebound of teammate Michael Zipp’s shot for his first of the year only 2:48 into the game. Jack McClelland had the second assist.

Only 32 seconds after the first goal, Axemen forward Stephen Harper tapped in a perfect feed from defenceman Alexander Lepkowski to tally his second goal in as many games.

The scoring for the period was just getting started.

Moncton got on the board at 7:06 into the period when captain Vincent Deslauriers pickpocketed an Acadia defenceman before heading towards goal and beating Acadia goalie Dawson Carty with a perfect shot to the far-side high glove.

With 7:48 remaining in the first, Axeman forward Cristiano Digiacinto snapped one from the offensive zone faceoff dot into the short-side top corner past goalie Alexi Thibaudeau.

A hectic scrum in front of the Acadia goal led to Moncton forward Edouard Michaud finally tucking home the loose puck from Robbie Graham’s shot with a little over 5 minutes left in the first frame. (more…)

Axemen start the road to the University Cup with an exhibition win

Harper notches OT winner

WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The host of the 2020 University Cup started in the right direction and took their first step forward with an exhibition overtime win against the visiting Dalhousie Tigers.

The Acadia Axemen’s bench for the 2019-2020 season had only two new faces including rookies Eric Henderson and Morgan Nauss and it was Henderson that recorded his first goal of his U SPORTS career.

Henderson was the recipient of a beautiful pass across the crease from Owen MacDonald that Henderson easily tapped in for the Axemen’s first and only goal until the overtime period.

The Tigers responded with 2:56 off the clock in the final frame when Andrew Shewfelt hammered home a rebound after teammate Jack Hanley’s shot on Dawson Carty in close.

The Tigers out-shot the Axemen 27-19 in regulation time and were 0-8 on the powerplay.

Forced into overtime after remaining tied at one after regulation time, Acadia’s Stephen Harper ended the three-on-three overtime period with a shot high on the glove hand of Tiger goaltender Connor Hicks to give the Axemen the win.

The Axemen host Moncton on Friday followed by their third and last exhibition game against the visiting McGill Redmen on Sunday.

The Tigers fall to 0-2 in exhibition play after losses to Saint Mary’s and the Axemen tonight. Dalhousie opens the AUS regular season next Wednesday night in Antigonish against the StFX X-Men.