No. 7 Axemen top Moncton 4-1 in 2017 home opener
WOLFVILLE, N.S – The new year has been kind to the U Sports No. 7 ranked Acadia Axemen (13-6-1) so far, as they are now 2-0 after defeating the Moncton Aigles Bleus (7-11-1) 4-1 on Saturday night, a day after beating the Saint Mary’s Huskies by the same score.
WOLFVILLE, N.S – The new year has been kind to the U Sports No. 7 ranked Acadia Axemen (13-6-1) so far, as they improve to 2-0 in 2017 after defeating the Moncton Aigles Bleus (7-11-1) 4-1 on Saturday night, a day after beating the Saint Mary's Huskies by the same score.
Despite Acadia dominating play for most of the first period, Moncton struck first when Aigles Bleus forward, Carl Marois (Montmagany, Que.), fired the puck into a wide-open net. Axemen goalie, Robert Steeves (Moncton, N.B.), got caught up with one of his teammates, taking him out of the play and allowing Marois an open cage to bury the puck.
By periods end, Moncton held onto a 1-0 lead, despite trailing 10-7 in shots on net.
Acadia had a strong showing in the second, scoring three unanswered on Moncton. To tie the game, second-year Axemen forward, Remy Giftopoulos (Ancaster, Ont.) finished a 2-on-1 passing play with Sam Fioretti (Calgary, Alta.), by deking out Moncton goaltender, Brandon Thibeau (Moncton, N.B.), and sliding the puck in on his backhand.
Less than five minutes later, the Axemen claimed their first lead of the game when Axemen forward, Daniel Pettersson (Toronto, Ont.), sniped the top corner on Brandon Thibeau. Pettersson's goal would not have been possible without the assist from third-year defenseman, Stephen Woodworth (Middleton, N.S.), who entered the zone on a rush to set up the play.
Third-year Axemen forward, Boston Leier, (Saskatoon, Sask.), finished the scoring for the second period with just over two minutes remaining, when he barreled down the right side and whistled a wrist shot high blocker side past Thibeau to put Acadia up 3-1.
Brandon Childerley (Stratford, Ont.) put away the game for Acadia late in the third, firing a low wrist shot past Thibeau to give the Axemen an insurmountable 4-1 with under seven minutes remaining in the game.
Both goaltenders had strong games, with Steeves turning aside 28 of 29 shots for the Axemen, while Thibeau stopped 30 of 34 shots on the night.
Neither team could capitalize on their power-play opportunities, as both the Axemen and the Aigles Bleus went 0-for-5 on the man-advantages.
Axemen goalie Robert Steeves and forward, Daniel Pettersson received the first and third Subway stars of the game, respectively, while Moncton defenseman, Pierre Durepos (Shediac, N.B.) received second star honours.
Acadia hits the ice again on Fri. Jan 13, against the UPEI Panthers in the first of a back-to-back home stand, with the second game on Sat. Jan 14 versus the U Sports No. 1 ranked UNB Reds.
As for Moncton, they host Dalhousie Tigers next Friday. Puck drop is 7:00 p.m. for all games.
Source - Joshua Foote, Acadia Athletics Communications
Photo - Peter Oleskevich