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Farrell with SO winner, Leier with 2 assists

WOLFVILLE, N.S – Homecoming weekend got off to a good start for the Axemen faithful on Friday night.

On a night that saw the raising of a banner in honour of former educator, coach and Director of Physical Education and Athletics Fred Kelly, who was an integral member of the Acadia University sports community, the Acadia Axemen (2-1-1) celebrated by defeating the Dalhousie (0-2-1) Tigers 3-2 in an overtime shootout.

Each team scored a power-play goal in the first period, making it 1-1 heading into the second.

Dalhousie scored their first at the 13:38 mark of the opening period, when Johnathan Cyr jammed in a rebound on the right side of the net past Axemen goalie Robert Steeves.

Acadia responded with a messy goal of their own, as forward Stephen Harper knocked the puck into the net past Tigers goalie Corbin Boes, who found himself out of position.

In a weird moment of déjà vu, both teams once again added a power-play marker each to make it 2-2 heading into the third.Read more »

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Acadia 3rd period rally falls short

Antigonish, NS – The U SPORTS No. 4 ranked StFX X–Men edged the No. 6 ranked Acadia Axemen by a 5-4 score Wednesday evening at the Charles V. Keating Centre. For the second time in a week, the Axemen have been on the short end of the stick with both games resulting in a 5-4 for the X-Men. The first loss came at the hands of an overtime shootout and this time, with 1:12 remaining in regulation time.

Matt Needham (Penticton, BC) scored the game winning goal with only 1:12 left in the third period as the home team staved off an Acadia comeback and held on for the win. 

The X–Men opened the game by scoring three goals in quick succession. Thirty-six seconds into the period Sam Studnicka (Windsor, ON), assisted by Adam Stevens (Bedford, NS), found the back of the net after intercepting an Axemen pass.  

Just 29 seconds later Holden Cook (Oshawa, ON) went top shelf on Axemen goaltender Dawson Carty (Burlington, ON). Craig Duininck (St. Cloud, MN) and Needham had the helpers on the second goal. 

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Farrell leads the way with 4 points

Photo by Trevor MacMillan

HALIFAX, N.S. – The puck has dropped on the start of the 2017-2018 AUS men’s hockey season in an action packed weekend as the Acadia Axemen visited the Dalhousie Tigers as part of the Tigers home opener, Saturday night at the Halifax Forum. In a high scoring affair, the Axemen came away with a 5-3 victory. 

Play started with Tigers taking a two quick penalties to go down two men. Some great positioning play from the Tigers allowed them to kill off both penalties unscathed.  

The game picked up the pace halfway through the first as Acadia’s Marc McNulty (Medicine Hat, AB) walked out from the half-board and fired a wrist shot that snuck under the blocker of Tigers goalie Corbin Boes (Saskatoon, SK) to put the Axemen up 1-0. 

Just moments after, the Tigers found themselves with a power–play, and it didn’t take them long to capitalize. After Jackson Playfair (Fort St. James, BC) won a clean faceoff back to his defenceman Duncan MacIntyre (Sydney, NS), MacIntyre sent a wrist shot from the blue-line that was tipped in front by Andrew Shewfelt (Dartmouth, NS) to beat the glove of Acadia goalie Dawson Carty (Burlington, ON).  

The first period of action came to an end with score knotted at 1-1. 

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Acadia Earns a Point After Trailing by 4

WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The Acadia Axemen (0-0-1) were unable to complete what would have been an epic comeback in their home opener on Friday night against the StFX X-Men (1-0-0), losing 5-4 in a shootout. The X-Men seem to have Acadia’s number, winning 4 of 5 regular season meetings last year as well.

The X-Men dominated the first period, scoring four unanswered, with three of them coming on the man-advantage, to take a 4-0 lead.

After taking a hit to draw the first penalty, forward and second star of the night, Kristoff Kontos scored a power-play marker, firing a wrist shot low glove side past Axemen goaltender Robert Steeves.

Near the end of the first, the X-Men added three more goals within two minutes, with two power-play markers from Jagger Dirk and Holden Cook and an even strength goal from Bryson Cianfrone, all of which beat Steeves low glove side.Read more »

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Acadia hockey season preview

WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The Acadia Axemen head coach Darren Burns hopes to continue their success from last year’s U SPORTS University Cup bronze medal win into this AUS season in one of the toughest men’s hockey conference in the country.

The Axemen lose several key veteran players to graduation including Daniel Pettersson, Taylor Makin, Scott Trask, Brett Thompson and Brendon Childerley. Of the graduated seniors, only Childerley and Thompson had an impact on scoring last regular season with Thompson posting 25 points (7 goals) – third among the Axemen leaders. Pettersson led the Axemen in scoring during the playoffs.

On the leadership spectrum, Makin and Trask will be a loss to the veteran laden lineup.

“It comes down to the guys who want to give the extra 10% and it’s on and off the ice. Comradery is huge and the guys have to care and have a compassion and a want to win. It’s college hockey and so you got to get better everyday at practicing and got to be rested and keep your focus away from the rink. That is very important for our success this year,” said Burns.

“I loved our leadership and I loved down the stretch our ability to deal with some adversities and losing a series and then bouncing back and having a great series (qualifying series vs. Saint Mary’s) and then arguably playing our best hockey at the U Cup,” added Burns. Read more »

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Acadia prepares for season opener this week

In two exhibition games scheduled this past weekend against NCAA opponents, the Axemen returned home with losses against UMass-Lowell River Hawks (4-2) and UMaine Black Bears (3-1).

 

Axemen head coach Darren Burns wasn’t disappointed with the outcome.

“Our guys played very hard this weekend. Although we lost two close games, it was a trip that was very benefiscial. We learned a lot about our team and it’s strengths and some things we need to get better at. Both games were physical, but it was disciplined hockey,” said Burns following the Axemen’s game against the Black Bears.

The UMass Lowell Hockey team skated to a 4-2 exhibition win against Acadia University on Saturday night at the Tsongas Center.

Senior forward Jake Kamrass got the River Hawks on the board first with just 37 seconds left in the first period with a power-play tally.

Stephen Harper and Rodney Southam tallied goals for the Axemen in the second and third periods respectively. Southam’s power-play goal made it a 3-2 game just 4:19 into the third, after sophomore forward Ryan Lohin netted the go ahead goal just 1:58 into the final frame.Read more »

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Harper leads the way with 2 goals for Acadia

WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The Acadia Axemen kept their hot pre-season play alive on a humid Tuesday night in Wolfville, beating the Dalhousie Tigers 5-0.

Veteran Axemen goaltender Robert Steeves, named the Subway First Star of the Game, turned in a stellar game, registering his first shutout of the year, while Stephen Harper put up two goals and an assist, to capture Third Star honours.

Despite even play between the two teams early in the opening period, Acadia forward Stephen Harper scored the first of five unanswered Axemen goals 5:12 into the first period.

Harper stole the Dalhousie clearing attempt in front of their net and buried the puck low blocker side, giving the Axemen a 1-0 lead that would hold into the first intermission.Read more »

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Harper, Braid each score a pair for Acadia

WOLFVILLE, N.S. – Any hockey fan knows that the pre-season means nothing come time for the regular season. Despite a shaky third, the Acadia Axemen looked to be in good shape heading into another season after their 7-4 win against the UPEI Panthers on Friday night.

Acadia dominated the first period and came out with two goals to show for their hard work.

Kris Hodge potted the first goal of the year on home ice 3:36 into the first period, after he picked up a rebound in front and sent it to the back of the net.

Later in the first, Chance Braid added to the Axemen lead, when he buried the puck that was lying on the goal line to put the Axemen up 2-0 heading into the second frame.

Acadia continued to add to their lead in the second, when rookie Rodney Southam fired a one-timer power-play marker into the top left corner of the net to put Acadia up 3-0.Read more »