Steeves with 33 saves in Acadia win

by Mike Gange, for U Sports

FREDERICTON (U SPORTS) – The No. 8-seeded Acadia University Axemen eliminated the top-ranked University of Alberta Golden Bears by a 4-1 score in the opening game of the  2017 U SPORTS Cavendish Farms University Cup at the Aitken University Centre in Fredericton. The tournament is being hosted by the University of New Brunswick.

University Cup website: www.universitycup.ca

The Golden Bears scored the only goal of the first period. Taylor Cooper (Sherwood Park, Alta.) scored at 10:07 on an Axemen turn over, beating Acadia goaltender Robert Steeves (Moncton, N.B.) for the even-strength marker.

But the Axemen rallied with two in the second and another pair in the third, including an empty-net marker with only seconds to go in the game, to clinch the win and the upset. Kyle Farrell (Howie Center, N.S.) beat Golden Bears goalie Brendan Burke (Scottsdale, Ariz.) at 1:04 of the second, and Boston Leier (Saskatoon, Sask.) scored the eventual game winner at 14:19 of the frame.Read more »

Acadia punches ticket to Nationals with win

Halifax N.S. – The Acadia Axemen are in the 2017 University Cup after beating the Saint Mary’s Huskies 3-0 at the Halifax Forum in the AUS Consolation series – as a third berth into the U SPORTS Championship.

“I’ve been coaching for a long time and I don’t think I’ve ever been prouder of a group of guys like this group,” said Axemen head coach Darren Burns. “These guys have gotten better every week and we’ve battled hard.”

“We had a tough last series and a tough week and to come in here and play as well as they did and do what they did, I’m so proud of them.”

The Axemen will be the third entry from the AUS in the tournament. They will join the UNB Varsity Reds and the StFX X-Men.

“We worked hard to put ourselves in a position where there was two opportunities [to get there],” said Burns. “This core group of guys has been to the nationals three of the last four years now and we haven’t hosted that’s earning your way there.”

Robert Steeves (Moncton N.B.) made 19 saves to pick up the shutout and the win.

Boston Leier (Saskatoon Sask.), Geoff Schemitsch (Thornhill Ont.) and Stephen Harper (Burlington Ont.) all lit the lamp for the Axemen. All three goals came on the power-play.

Eric Brassard (St Hubert Que.) made 33 saves, including several that were pure larceny, in the loss.

As has been the story all playoffs the Huskies were playing with a short bench with only 15 skaters dressed. Read more »

Thompson with 3 pts, Steeves 32 saves in win

Wolfville, N.S. – The Acadia Axemen snapped a three-game losing streak in the playoffs, beating the Saint Mary’s Huskies 5-1 on Monday night in Wolfville. Acadia now holds a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three consolation series. The winner of the consolation series will be the third of three AUS teams to qualify for the U SPORTS championship hosted by UNB.

Prior to the game, Axemen forward Brandon Childerley (Stratford, Ont.) received a standing ovation from the Wolfville crowd after coming out for a ceremonious puck drop. Childerley is currently out of the line-up following health complications from a game on Feb. 23.

Axemen forward Chance Braid (Wainwright, Alta.) scored the game-winner, with 7:14 left to play in the second.

Braid was in the slot, and fired a one-timer, off a pass from Remy Giftopoulos (Ancaster, Ont.), and buried it in the top right corner of the net, to give the Axemen a 2-1 lead and the eventual win.

Following a period of solid chances from both sides, Acadia opened the scoring late in the first period, with a goal from forward, Brett Thompson (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.).Read more »

Acadia looks to UNB/SMU series to extend season

ANTIGONISH, NS – The StFX X-Men overcame a three-goal third period deficit to defeat the Acadia Axemen 5-4 in overtime in Game 3 of the Subway AUS semifinals in front of over 1400 fans at the Charles V. Keating Centre.

With the win the X-Men sweep the series 3-0 over the Axemen and advance to the best-of-three Subway AUS final series, awaiting the winner of the UNB-Saint Mary’s series.

Freshman forward Matt Needham (Pentincton, BC) was the overtime hero, scoring 4:32 into the extra period, connecting off a Bryson Cianfrone (Stoney Creek, ON) pass.

X-Men head coach Brad Peddle commented, “I was really proud of the group tonight. It wasn’t the start we wanted and we got down a couple goals in the first period, but it was a great test and I really liked how resilient the guys were tonight.”

It was the visiting Axemen who took a 2-0 lead after the first period of play. Sam Fioretti’s (Calgary, AB) shot from the top of the face-off circle at 8:36 beat X-Men goalie Chase Marchand (Halifax, NS) up high. Boston Leier (Saskatoon, SK) and Stephen Harper (Burlington, ON) picked up assists. Read more »

Pettersson nets two in Axemen loss

WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The StFX X-Men took a stranglehold on the best of five semi-final series with a 4-2 win over the host Acadia Axemen. Despite holding a 12-3 home record in the regular season, the Axemen are now 0-2 in Wolfville during the playoffs and will need a win on Monday in Antigonish to keep the series alive.

StFX scored three goals in the first period, with the game winner coming from a power-play goal from defenseman Jagger Dirk (Penticton, B.C.) late in the first.

StFX managed to hold off a surging Acadia team in the third for the victory and 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

“We knew they would push hard with us getting the first one, so we had to come out hard too”, said the Subway First Star of the Game X-Man Eric Locke. “Our starts have been unbelievable and we’ve let up a bit but our chances have been there and we pulled another win out”

Three of the X-Men’s goals came on the man-advantage. “Our power-play was huge to get us some goals early tonight. We like to move the puck quickly on the big ice and spread them out and attack the net when the play is there”, noted Locke.

For the second night in a row, the StFX X-Men held a two-goal lead by the end of the first period and up 3-1 heading into the second.

The first X-Men goal came just over a minute into the opening period from forward Eric Locke (Toronto, Ont.).Read more »

Game 2 goes Friday night in Wolfville

WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The U SPORTS No. 10 ranked StFX X-Men spoiled the No. 5 Acadia’s first playoff game of the 2016-17 season, defeating the Axemen 4-3 in double OT to take a 1-0 lead, in the best-of-5 series.

The Axemen dominated for long stretches of the game, but were constantly playing catch up, as they fell behind 2-0 after the first period, before tying the game up in the second and forcing overtime in the third frame.

Acadia fell behind late in the first period, when the X-Men scored on the man-advantage to jump out to a 1-0 lead.

The goal came from StFX forward, Kristoff Kontos (Penetanguishene, Ont.), who let a wrist shot go that caught the top left corner, breaking Axemen goaltender, Robert Steeves’ (Moncton, N.B.) water bottle.

The X-Men added to their lead, with a goal from rookie forward, Matt Needham (Penticton, B.C.), who scored in tight on Steeves, from a rebounded shot from the point. Needham flipped the puck up over Steeves shoulder to give the X-Men a 2-0 lead.

Acadia led 16-13 in shots by the end of the first, despite trailing 2-0.

Refusing to let the game get away from them, the Axemen managed to tie the game in the second period, with goals from veterans, Remy Giftopoulos (Ancaster, Ont.) and Brett Thompson (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) to send the Wolfville crowd into a frenzy.Read more »