Axemen post 5-2 win over U SPORTS No. 8 ranked Huskies

WOLFVILLE N.S. – The Acadia Axemen got back to their winning ways after defeating the U SPORTS No. 8 ranked Saint Mary's Huskies, by a score of 5-2.

The Axemen were the first to find the back of the net, with the first goal coming just 1:01 into the first period. Johnny Corneil was the opening goal scorer after getting his own rebound in front of the goal and beating SMU goalie Eric Brassard to the low glove side. Ross MacDougall and Cristiano DiGiacinto picked up the assists.

The second goal came only 1:24 after the first when Axeman Jordy Stallard buried his sixth of the season when a 2 on 1 rush ended with a perfect shot to the low glove, off the post and in. Garrett McFadden had the assist on the goal 

The Axemen lead 2-0 after the first twenty.

It was just over halfway through the second frame when Nick Welsh scored to bring the Huskies within a goal. He received a nice pass on the left side of the offensive zone before beating Axemen goalie Logan Flodell to the far side with a quick wrister. Jonathan Hampton and Mitchell Balmas assisted.

Just 40 seconds later the Axemen struck back, as Jordy Stallard jammed home his second of the night after a scramble in front of the SMU net concluded with an easy loose puck tap-in. Mason McCarty and TJ Fergus were credited with assists on the tally.

With 2:21 remaining in the period TJ Fergus scored his first of the season on the powerplay.

Fergus beat the Huskies' goalie with a seeing-eye shot from the top of the circles that found its way through a sea of bodies and into the net. Jordy Stallard tallied his third point of the night with an assist, Tate Olsen bagged the other assist, giving the Axemen a 4-1 lead after two periods.

A minute into the third the Axemen added to their lead as Mason McCarty snagged a loose puck in front of goal before beating the netminder with a quick shot to the high glove. The goal was McCarty's eighth of the season and was assisted by Cristiano DiGiacinto.

The Huskies were able to claw one back on the powerplay as Dawson Theede found his way onto the scoresheet. Theede was the recipient of a perfect cross-crease pass from Mitchell Balmas that made for an easy tap-in at the side of the Acadia goal. Dylan Di Perna also assisted on the goal that came at 7:09 into the final frame.

That concluded the scoring for the evening, with the Axemen taking the win 5-2.

The Huskies outshot the Axemen 36-29, and both teams had some powerplay success, Acadia was 1 for 4, while the Huskies were1 for 5.

Both teams play host to the UPEI Panthers in their next games, with the Huskies looking to get two points Friday night in Halifax, and the Axemen hope to add another win this weekend on Saturday night in Wolfville.

Provided by Griffin Herrington, Acadia Athletics Communications