Heelis' hat-trick sparks Axemen comeback and 2OT win

WOLFVILLE, N.S. - Overcoming a three goal deficit in the third period, the CIS No. 3 Acadia Axemen take a 2-0 lead in the best of five semi-final series with a 6-5 double overtime win over the visiting Moncton Aigles Bleus.

After Acadia's 5-2 victory over Moncton on Wednesday, both teams returned to the ice 24 hours later for game two. The Aigles Bleus came out firing on all cylinders, looking to tie the series at one.

Acadia captain and Subway First Star of the Game, Liam Heelis, who showed just why the Florida Panther gave him a look earlier this year, scored a hat-trick in the tail end of the game to give the Axemen a chance in overtime.

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The first period was tilted in the Aigles Bleus favour, outshooting Acadia 13-10 and outscoring Acadia three goals to none.

Moncton's Alex Noel started the first of four straight goals in a row, on a 3-on-1 break,  giving the Aigles Bleus an early 1-0 lead after six minutes of play.

Nearly five minutes later, Alex Sauliner scored on a cross ice pass from Christopher Guay to make it 2-0 Moncton.

Alex Emond scored his fourth goal of the playoffs after skating around Colin Archer and taking a high shot to the glove hand side of Axemen netminder Evan Mosher.

Up 3-0 after the first frame, Moncton took a 4-0 lead nearly seven minutes into the second period when Pierre Durepos scored his second goal of the series off of an Evan Mosher rebound on the man advantage. Durepos, named the second star of the game, put just enough on his shot to bounce the puck over the stick of a sprawled out Mosher.

Mosher played another brilliant game, standing on his head while the team was down, especially when the score was 5-4 with minutes remaining. Mosher recorded 38 saves.

Finally after several missed opportunities, Acadia showed some life. The Axemen answered with less than two minutes remaining in the second when Liam Heelis scored his first of three goals to end the second with a 4-1 Aigles Bleus lead. Heelis slid it past Adrien Lemay after a great feed from linemate Mike Cazzola.

Acadia started the third just like how they ended the second, with a lot of time in the offensive zone. At 1:46 of the third period, Travis Randell scored his first goal of the playoffs on short-handed play to start the three goal comeback. 

Moncton's Sameul Groulx scored 35 seconds later to give back the Aigles Bleus' three goal lead.

Cue the Axemen comeback. Rookie forward Michael Clark scored at 13:01 in the third to begin the three unanswered goal offensive.

Liam Heelis added his second of the night and third of the playoffs, 28 seconds after Clarke's tally, sliding it past Aigles Bleus netminder Lemay.

The hometown crowd responded and with 3:45 remaining in the game, Captain Clutch - Liam Heelis - scored his third of the night, reaching around a sprawled Lemay.

Lemay stopped 36 of 42 shots he faced, including nine in the third period.

After a scoreless first overtime period, Chris Owens' shot from the point, cut through the crowd and gave the Axemen a 6-5 overtime win with 1:56 remaining in the second overtime period.  Owens completed the comeback on a harmless looking point shot that fooled Lemay short side. This game-winning goal rightfully earned him the Second Star of the Game honour.

The Axemen head to Moncton on Saturday to play game three, where they can end the series with a three game sweep. If necessary, a game four will follow on Sunday in Moncton.

Submitted by Mitchell Racine - Acadia Sports Information