CIS No. 4 Hockey Axemen pull off come-back win

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI - The CIS No. 4 ranked Acadia Axemen rallied back from a 2-0 deficit to grab a 4-3 win over the host UPEI Panthers.

Cole MacMillan got the Panthers on the scoreboard 14 minutes into the opening period to give the UPEI an early lead over Acadia. Holding onto the 1-0 advantage after outshooting Acadia 19-6 in the first period, UPEI padded the lead in the first 20 seconds of the second period when Chris Desousa scored on the man-advantage to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead after two periods.

The Axemen scored two unanswered goals in the opening of the final frame. Zachary Franko scored his first of two goals on the night and his fifth of the season on the powerplay. Less than two minutes later, rookie Axeman Remy Giftopoulus tied the game at two with his second goal of the season, assisted by Franko and Leier.

Desousa would score his second goal of the night to give the Panthers back the lead, but Franko would score his second goal against the Panthers just a minute after Desousa's second.

First year defenseman Matthew Pufahl would score the eventual game winner at the 13:07 mark of the final period and the 4-3 lead would last, with the Axemen improving to 10-3-0, while UPEI drops to 4-7-2. The Axemen were out-shot 35-22 by the Panthers.

Acadia remains tied for second place with UNB with 20 points and the Saint Mary's Huskies hold onto first place with a 10-2-1 record and 21 points.

The Axemen head to Fredericton to take on the St. Thomas Tommies while UPEI hosts the visiting Dalhousie Tigers