Axemen lose in overtime against U SPORTS No. 1 ranked REDS

WOLFVILLE, N.S. – Two streaks continued on Friday night in Wolfville following a 2-1 OT victory for the U SPORTS No. 1 ranked UNB REDS over the Acadia Axemen. For the REDS, the win marked their twelfth in a row. Meanwhile, the Acadia Axemen now hold a seven-game losing streak.

Despite the loss, tonight marked possibly the strongest performance from the Axemen yet this season.

Both teams benefitted from the excellent play of their goaltenders.

Axemen goalie Zachary Paputsakis (Rockland, Ont.) stopped 23 of 24 shots in the first two periods, before being replaced, due to injury, by Conor McCollum. UNB goalie Samuel Richard (Ste. Catherine, Que.) turned aside 25 of 26 shots and was named the third star of the night.

Acadia jumped out to an early lead thanks to a goal from the second star of the night, Keegan Stevenson (Aweres Township, Ont.).

Stevenson redirected a quick wrist shot from Hudson Wilson at the point to give Acadia the first lead of the game.

At the end of the first period, shots were 11-6 in favour of UNB.

UNB had a litany of offensive chances in the second but solved Paputsakis only once in the period to tie the game.

The REDS had two separate breakaways, while shorthanded near the midpoint of the second period. Both shots were turned aside on wonderful saves, including one that required Paputsakis to sprawl at the goal line to keep the puck from going in.

However, UNB finally scored with 3:31 left in the second frame.

The REDS broke out of their own zone quickly and rushed into the Acadia zone where Cole MacKay (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) took a feed in the slot and wired a wrist shot home to tie the game at 1-1.

By the end of the second period, UNB held a commanding 24-13 lead in shots.

Acadia made a goaltending change at the start of the third with Conor McCollum taking over between the pipes. Paputsakis seemed to be labouring with some sort of injury throughout the second period.

There was no scoring in the third period despite several strong attempts from both sides.

With the game tied at one, the teams were forced into overtime to find a winner.

The extra period saw a number of solid scoring chances from both teams, but it was Brady Gilmour (Grafton, Ont.) who sent the crowd home.

McCollum stopped the initial shot from a UNB rush but could not cover the puck with a number of bodies in front of him.

Gilmour scooped up the puck in front and flipped it over the Axemen goalie for the game-winner.

UNB defenceman Adam McCormick (Waterville, N.B.) was named Subway First Star of the Night.

Acadia returns to play tomorrow night at home, as they take on the Moncton Aigles Bleus, while the REDS head to Saint Mary's. Puck drops at 7:00 pm for both games.

Submitted by Joshua Foote, Acadia Athletics Communications Office