Axemen upset No. 1 UNB 4-3, Couture makes 42 saves

WOLFVILLE, N.S. — Thomas Couture stopped 42 shots as the Acadia Axemen knocked off the No. 1–ranked UNB Reds 4-3 on Friday night at Andrew H. McCain Arena.

UNB opened the scoring nine seconds in when Thomas Larouche finished off a rush. Acadia answered at 3:29 as Kian Bell converted from Marc Boudreau and Ethan Ernst to tie it 1–1. The Axemen took the lead at 10:53 when Ryder McIntyre scored off Brady Burns and Tyler Deline, sending Acadia to the first intermission up 2–1.

McIntyre doubled the advantage 2:01 into the second, finishing a feed from Brendan Tomilson. On the game's first power play, Liam Kidney made it 4–1 at 4:20, with assists to Burns and Deline. UNB cut the deficit to 4–2 at 16:52 on a goal by Luke Torrance.

The Reds pressed in the third and pulled within one at 9:00 when Colton Kammerer scored, but Couture turned aside the rest to preserve the upset. UNB outshot Acadia 45–15. The Axemen went 1-for-3 on the power play and killed the Reds' lone opportunity. Remi Delafontaine made 11 saves for UNB.

Ryder McIntyre (2G), Liam Kidney (PPG) and Kian Bell had the Acadia goals. Attendance was 1,257. The three stars were Couture, Kammerer and McIntyre.

Next up: Acadia hosts UPEI on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m. in Wolfville.