Posted on Posted in Game Recaps

Axemen stretch win streak to 9 games

Robert Steeves 32 saves

The Acadia Axemen (15-2-1) stretched their win streak to nine games, by narrowly defeating the St. Thomas Tommies (1-16-1) 3-2 on Friday night in Fredericton. Just a week after the Axemen routed the Tommies 7-2 in Wolfville, the home team was certain to not roll over in this game, as they put forth a spirited effort that came down to the very last second of the game to decide the final outcome.

The Axemen started 2nd year netminder Robert Steeves in goal, his fourth start on the season, and his first since the holiday break; Steeves getting the start turned out to be a good decision as he turned away 33 of 35 shots from STU. Meanwhile the home team went with Tyson Teichmann, who put in a strong effort, stopping 26 of 29 Axemen shots, but most importantly he made a few key saves on the night that kept his team within striking distance.

The Axemen opened the scoring 2:20 of the opening period, when 2nd year forward Boston Leier ripped home his 10th goal on the season, with assists from Sam Fioretti and Geoff Schemitsch. But St. Thomas would answer on the powerplay, when JC Campagna blasted a one timer by Steeves to tie the game at one. Andrew Fritsch and Brendan Childerley had the helpers on the equalizer.

The Axemen took the lead back early in the 2nd period, when Chance Braid scored his second goal in just his third AUS game. The goal was a powerplay marker at 2:59, with assists from Mike Cazzola and Brett Thompson.Read more »

Posted on Posted in Game Recaps

Farrell & Randell each pot a pair, Makin with three assists

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WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The Acadia Axemen wrapped up the opening weekend of 2016 with a 8-2 win over the Moncton Aigles Bleus and extend their winning streak to 8 games.

The Axemen pulled out to a 4-0 lead after one period.

First year defenseman Brett Cote (Oakbank, Man.) opened the scoring in the first period on a shot from the near boards that caught the top corner of the net for his second goal of the season.

Just over eight minutes later Kyle Farrell (Howie Centre, N.S.) scored his first of two goals on a rebound from a Boston Leier (Saskatoon, Sask) shot from the top of the faceoff circle that was deflected by Sam Fioretti (Calgary, Alta.).

The Axemen pushed the lead to 3-0, when Travis Randell (Twillingate, Nfld.) scored his first of a two goal performance after a centering pass from Stephen Woodworth (Middleton, N.S.) gave Randell a shot from the slot that caught the top shelf.Read more »

Posted on Posted in Game Recaps

Cazzola with 4 points, Thompson with a pair of goals

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WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The CIS No. 1 Ranked Acadia Axemen extended their winning streak to seven with a convincing 7-2 win over the visiting St. Thomas Tommies.

After a scoreless first period, fourth year forward Mike Cazzola (Guelph, Ont.) began the Axemen’s four unanswered goal fun of the second period.

Cazolla netted his 12th goal of the year off of a rebound from Geoff Schemitsch’s shot from the near point.

First year forward Kyle Farrell (Howie Centre, N.S.) scored a shorthanded goal on a great feed by Sam Fioretti (Calgary, Alta.) to give the Axemen a quick 2-0 lead after eleven minutes of play.

Newcomer Chance Braid (Wainwright, Alta.) scored his first goal of his CIS hockey career beating Tommie goaltender Tyson Teichmann (Belleville, Ont.) on a rebound from Brett Thompson’s (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) effort at the side of the net.

Thompson scored the first of a two-goal night with under three minutes remaining in the second period. Thompson’s goal would cap the Axemen’s four goal run of the second frame.

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Posted on Posted in Team Stories

Acadia adds hard nosed forward to lineup for January

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The Acadia Axemen finished up the first half of their 2015-16 ranked #1 in the CIS national university hockey rankings. Coach Darren Burns was pleased with how the team came together in the first half, and hopes that a new addition to the lineup for the second half, will help the team continue to improve as they look to get back to a third straight national tournament appearance. Chance Braid has arrived in Wolfville, and will begin practicing with the team next week, in preparation for the Axemen’s 2nd half opener against the STU Tommies on January 9th.

“We had a solid first half, but the league is very tight. We are very excited to have Chance joining our program. He played in last spring’s Memorial Cup with the Kelowna Rockets, so it’s obvious he knows what it’s all about to play in pressure situations,” said Burns.

The 6’1, 210-pound power forward from Chauvin, Alberta spent the fall playing a handful of games in the ECHL with Idaho and Allen. Braid finished up a four-year junior career in the WHL narrowly losing in the Memorial Cup finals in overtime, with the Kelowna Rockets last season, after a midseason trade from the Prince George Cougars. Braid spent his first three years in the WHL with the Prince Albert Raiders.

Braid is known as a punishing power forward who doesn’t mind sticking up for his teammates. The hard-nosed left winger developed into one of the most feared players in the Western Hockey League. In a previous interview, Braid talked about his play, “I’ve been playing the same style of hockey since I’ve been in Prince Albert four years ago. I just finish my checks, be hard to play against and not be afraid to play in the dirty areas.”

Coach Burns added this about Braid, “His reputation as a team first player, who cares about his teammates is extremely important. He is a very strong physical player who will immediately add size and strength to our lineup. We are a gritty team, but adding a power forward with a strong hockey IQ of his caliber will no doubt help our team and create some space for some of our other forwards. This is a very skilled physical league and adding a forward who goes to the net hard and finishes his checks will be an added element to our team.”Read more »

Posted on Posted in Team Stories
Acadia to face Saint Mary’s at the Scotiabank Centre

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Halifax, NS – Sports & Entertainment Atlantic (S|E|A), in partnership with the Scotiabank Centre, Dalhousie Athletics and Saint Mary’s Athletics, is pleased to announce the creation of a new, university sport event for the city of Halifax!

Varsity Showdown 2016 will bring Dalhousie, Saint Mary’s, St.FX and Acadia together for two (2) regular season men’s hockey games on Friday, January 29th and two (2) women’s and men’s regular season basketball doubleheaders on Saturday, January 30th; all at the Scotiabank Centre in downtown Halifax.

“Varsity Showdown 2016 will provide a terrific platform to showcase the amazing product and inspiring athletes participating in AUS hockey and basketball,” said Derek Martin, President of S|E|A, producers of the CIS University Cup and the recently awarded CIS Final 8. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Dalhousie and Saint Mary’s to bring their home games to the Scotiabank Centre where we know we can deliver an outstanding entertainment experience to students, alumni and fans”.

”This is a community that loves and supports university sport – we’ve seen that time and again,” said Scott Ferguson, president and CEO of Trade Centre Limited, operators of the Scotiabank Centre. “With such an exciting line up of men’s and women’s sport, this promises to be an unforgettable weekend full of good competition.”Read more »

Posted on Posted in Alumni News
Living the Dream
John Decoste – http://www.kingscountynews.ca
Published on December 14, 2015
Dave Beach on the Axemen bench at the Andrew H. McCain Arena – his ‘second home’ for 23 seasons.
Dave Beach on the Axemen bench at the Andrew H. McCain Arena – his ‘second home’ for 23 seasons.

WOLFVILLE – Dave Beach has never played a game of hockey for Acadia, but his contributions to the success of the Axemen hockey program over the past 20-plus years have not gone without notice.

On Nov. 15, the long-time Axemen equipment manager joined former Acadia players Paul Doherty, Brian Casey and Malcolm Cameron as 2015 inductees to the Acadia Hockey Honour Roll.

Beach, 54, grew up in Kentville. Because one of his legs was shorter than the other, leaving him with a limp, he “was never able to play hockey. I did play some Little League baseball, but I wasn’t very good.”

Talented in other ways

What Beach is good at were the tasks involved with being an equipment manager. He started out with the Kentville Wildcats senior baseball team in 1985, the year they won a national championship, and remained with the team through 2006.

In the fall of 1992, he was chosen to fill a vacancy as an equipment manager for the hockey Axemen.

“I spoke to Coach (Tom) Coolen, and he said there might be a job there for me. Just before the season, I was offered the job, and I was there for the next 23 seasons,” Beach said.

“Mike Smith, a senior student, Chris (Rocky) Randall and I were the equipment managers. When Mike graduated, it was Chris and me for many years. I started out number-three, then number-two, and after Chris left, number-one.”

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