Axemen open season Friday at home against X-Men

The Acadia Axemen are set for the 2023-24 season, entering AUS play with a positive start to the year after going 3-1 in exhibition action.

Acadia picked up a pair of wins over Dalhousie in two of their four exhibition games, 7-1 and 5-3 respectively. In the opening game there were seven different scorers including Bailey Peach, Cole Nagy, Brendan Tomilson, Luke Zazula, Ethan Ernst and Peyton Hoyt. Brady Burns, Ernst, Charlie Desroches, Nick Deakin-Poot and Liam Kidney scored in the second game.

Their first of three home exhibition games was against the Queen's Gaels, from Kingston, Ont., which they lost 5-2. They led twice in the game, but Queen's used three second period goals to get past the Axemen. Goals came from Deakin-Poot and Hoyt. 

To wrap up their preseason they defeated the UPEI Panthers 2-1 at home, with goals from Peach and Corson Hopwo, setting the scene for their home opener against STFX on Friday, Oct. 6. Puck drop is 7 p.m. at Andrew H. McCain Arena. They will then travel to Halifax to face the Dalhousie Tigers to close out the opening weekend of conference play.