Axemen fall to Moncton in shootout despite 45-shot effort

Acadia dropped a 4-3 shootout decision to the Université de Moncton on Friday night, generating 45 shots on goal but coming up short at home.

Brady Burns, Brendan Mairs and Zak Lavoie scored for the Axemen, who controlled long stretches of play, including a 22-shot second period. Thomas Couture made 24 saves in regulation and overtime.

Moncton opened the scoring late in the first period. Jules Boilard broke through at 15:58, finishing a play set up by Jeremy D'Astous and Jeremie Jacob to give the visitors a 1–0 lead after one.

The second period featured sustained pressure from Acadia. Mairs pulled the Axemen within one at 8:46, finishing a play from Bailey Peach and Charlie Desroches. Earlier in the frame, Moncton extended its lead when D'Astous converted a penalty shot at 3:34.

Despite heavy zone time and a flurry of chances, including multiple looks from the slot, Olivier Adam turned aside 20 Acadia shots in the period to preserve Moncton's 2–1 advantage.

Acadia responded early in the third. Lavoie tied the game at 1:31, scoring off feeds from Tyler Deline and Peach. Moncton regained the lead on a power play at 6:54, as David Doucet capitalized with help from Charles-Edouard Drouin and Olivier-Luc Haché.

Burns answered at 10:24, wiring a shot past Adam after passes from Brendan Tomilson and Cam Whynot to even the score at 3–3. Both teams pushed for a winner late, but regulation ended deadlocked.

Overtime solved nothing, with Couture and Adam each making key stops to send the game to a shootout. Moncton converted the decisive attempt, handing Acadia the 4–3 shootout loss.

Adam finished with 42 saves for the Aigles Bleus. D'Astous recorded a goal and an assist, while Doucet's power-play marker proved critical.

The Axemen are back on the road next Friday night, visiting the UPEI Panthers in Charlottetown.