Axemen spoil X-Men homeopener

Antigonish, NS – The Acadia Axemen played to a decisive 8-3 win over the STFX X-Men Friday night, spoiling the home opener for the White and Blue.

X-Men defenseman Charlie Callaghan (Toronto, ON) opened the scoring 46 seconds into the game, depositing a one-timer off a nice pass from Alex Christopoulos (Richmond Hill, ON) while on a 2-on-1.

The Axemen then scored three unanswered goals in the first period. Cam MacDonald (Hammonds Plains, NS) took a pass in front of the net and beat X netminder Partrick Leaver (Perth, ON) with a high shot eight minutes in.

Just over a minute later Brendan Sellan (Bolton, ON) brought the puck in the end zone and pushed it towards the X goal, getting a timely deflection in off an X defender.

Acadia's third goal came with 3:27 left off the stick of Corson Hopwo (Duncan, BC) who pounced on a loose puck and beat Leaver with a high shot.

Shots were fairly even in the opening period – 12-11 for STFX – but it was the Axemen who had the 3-1 lead on the scoreboard.

The visitors took a 4-1 lead a minute into the second period with a goal from Peyton Hoyt (Fredericton, NB). He took down the puck down the left wing into the X zone and sniped a high shot over the shoulder of Leaver.

Kian Bell (Fall River, NS) gave the Axemen a four-goal lead at 5:57 of the second, scoring on the power play on a shot through traffic.

The X-Men found themselves in penalty trouble late in the period and continued to trail 5-1 after 40 minutes.

Acadia kept with the scoring touch in the third period when Bell tallied his second of the night, this time off a pass from Zack Jones (North Falmouth, MA) in tight.

Brady Burns (Port Williams, NS) made it a 7-1 Axemen lead when he scored on a wonky bounce off the boards that came back over top and into the X net.

The X-Men got a pair of goals back to make it a 7-3 game.

Jacob Maillet (Dundas, ON) scored on the power play, depositing a rebound after Axemen goalie Thomas Couture (Levis, QC) made the initial save off a Callaghan shot.

Christopoulos scored the third X goal, beating Couture with a high shot over the shoulder in tight.

Ethan Ernst (Weyburn, SK) rounded out the scoring for the Axemen with a power play goal with 3:45 left in the game.

Acadia outshot the X-Men by a 34-29 margin as Couture posted 26 saves for the win and garnered first star and player of the game honours.

Acadia's Hoyt was second star as he had a goal and assist for the visitors. STFX's Christopoulos was the third star with a goal and two assists.

The Axemen will be back in action Saturday night, October 12^th when they host the Dalhousie Tigers. Puck drop is 7:00 pm.

The X-Men will host the same Tigers squad on Wednesday night, October 16^th, also at 7:00 pm.

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Recap courtesy Krista McKenna, STFX Athletics