Big overtime win at UNB gets Axemen back on track

(FREDERICTON, N.B.) The CIS No. 7 ranked Acadia Axemen rebounded from last week's losses with a road game sweep starting with a 4-2 against Moncton last night and a 4-3 overtime win against the CIS No. 2 ranked UNB Varsity Reds.
 
The Varsity Reds gave up the first goal of the game when senior Axemen forward Alex Beaton got his legs under him and after a couple of quick passes close to the net, Liam Heelis snapped it in. It's Heelis' sixth goal of the season. Assists went to Beaton and Matthew Pufahl.

UNB got their chance to get back into the game when a two-minute penalty for tripping put them on the power play with just over two minutes to go. Philippe Halley had the goal for the V-Reds with an assist from Peter Trainor and Matt Petgrave.

The second period got under way with both teams coming hard and neither willing to let the other dictate play. Seven minutes into the frame, a long scramble in front of the UNB net put goalie David Shantz in a nearly impossible scenario, diving several directions at once.

The eventual Subway First Star, Zachary Franko finally popped it in the net for the Axemen's second goal, giving them a 2-1 lead. Assists went to Mike Cazzola and Brett Thompson.

As the period drew to a close, UNB looked determined to tie it up, and the pace increased noticeably. The V-Reds would find their way to a goal with just 26 seconds remaining in the second period. Philippe Maillet got one past Axemen goalie Brandon Glover with an assist from Tyler Carroll.

The V-Reds kept the momentum on their side with a quick goal just 15 seconds into the third. Maillet took the puck from the red line for a clean beat of Glover, starting that period off much like how he'd ended the second one, and UNB took the lead for the first time in the game.

The Axemen battled back and just over six minutes later tied it up again. Shantz got tied up in play on the side of the net, and Brett Thompson managed to come around from behind and hook it in over the diving UNB defencemen.

The third period ended in a very dramatic style with Acadia pressing hard. A big save from Shantz followed by an even bigger save from Halley when he batted the puck out of midair with his hand with two seconds to go before sending  the game into overtime.

It didn't take long for the deciding goal to arrive. Acadia scored just two minutes into overtime. First year Axeman Zack Franko scored his second goal of the night, assisted by Beaton, giving Acadia the 4-3 overtime win.
 
The Varsity Reds play next at 7pm on Friday, November 21, when they travel to Saint Mary's, while the Axemen continue with another road trip weekend, traveling to UPEI and St. Thomas starting next Friday night.

Recap provided by UNB Sports Information Office