Bell’s power-play winner lifts Axemen past StFX on the road

Acadia (11-2-1) earned a 4–2 win over St. Francis Xavier (7-8-0) on Saturday night, scoring twice on the power play and getting a 37-save performance from goaltender Thomas Couture. The Axemen return home on Friday, Nov. 26 to host Saint Mary's at 7 p.m.

Acadia opened the scoring at 12:41 of the first period when Brady Burns finished a setup from Marc Boudreau and Corson Hopwo. Both teams had power-play chances later in the frame, but Couture and X-Men goaltender Patrick Leaver kept it a 1–0 game through 20 minutes.

The Axemen extended their lead early in the second period. Hopwo made it 2–0 at 3:02, converting a feed from Boudreau and Brendan Tomilson. StFX pulled within one late in the period when Logan O'Neil scored at 19:15. Acadia answered immediately—just six seconds later—when Kian Bell scored on a rush set up by Liam Kidney, restoring a 3–1 advantage heading into the final frame.

Acadia added its second power-play goal of the night at 7:10 of the third. Boudreau converted a chance created by Brayden Schmitt and Hopwo to extend the lead to 4–1. StFX responded with a power-play goal from Ryan McGuire at 15:35, but Couture turned aside the remaining pushes, and the Axemen closed out the win despite the X-Men pulling their goalie in the final minutes.

Hopwo finished with a goal and two assists, while Boudreau also posted a three-point night with a power-play marker and two helpers. Burns added a goal and two blocked shots. Bell scored the game-winner and recorded four shots.

McGuire led StFX with a goal, an assist, and a dominant night in the faceoff circle, winning 16 of 24 draws. O'Neil added a goal and blocked two shots. Leaver made 20 saves in the loss.

The Axemen hit the road on Wednesday night to face Saint Mary's before hosting Moncton on Friday in their final game of the first half of the season.