Axemen top Huskies 3-2 in OT, SMU faces UdeM in quarters

WOLFVILLE, N.S. –  Sam Fioretti's (Calgary, Alta.) wrap around goal with 7:28 remaining in the overtime period, gave the Axemen a 3-2 win over the visiting Saint Mary's Huskies. The Axemen finish the regular season with a 19-7-2 record and third place in the final AUS standings, while the Huskies sit three points behind Acadia in fourth place with a 17-8-3 record.

Rookie Chance Braid (Wainwright, Alta.) opened the scoring early in the first period when the Huskies defensive unit coughed up the puck to Braid who was unattended in the slot. Braid's backhand over stretched out Cole Cheveldave's (Calgary, Alta.) glove hand side gave the Axemen an early 1-0 lead.

Calder Brooks (Emerald Place, Sask.) scored his first of two goals at the 9:18 mark of the first period after teammate Stephen MacAulay (Cole Harbour, N.S.) fed Brooks an across the crease pass from the face-off circle, setting up an easy tap-in past goaltender Brandon Glover (Victoria, B.C.). 

Just over a minute after the Huskies goal, Brett Thompson (Sault Ste Marie, Ont.) setup Zachery Franko (Winnipeg, Man.) at the ringette line from the shallow corner.  Franko let loose a blistering slap shot that caught the top shelf on Cheverdave's glove hand side for the 2-1 Axemen lead.

The lone goal of the second period was Brooks' second goal of the night. Picking up a rebound from a blocked Jamie Doornbosch (Richmond Hill, Ont.) shot, Brooks backhanded a shot over Glover's glove hand side to tie the game at two with 3:04 remaining in the second frame.

A scoreless third period was met with extra time as the Axemen headed into overtime for the ninth time in the 28 game regular season. Fioretti's overtime winner earned him the Subway First Star of the Game, while Brooks was named the second star. Hard working senior forward Dylan Anderson (Ottawa, Ont.) was honoured as the third star of the game.

Four Axemen were honoured prior to the start of the game as graduating student-athletes. Departing at the end of the school year are seniors Dylan Anderson, Mike Cazzola (Guelph, Ont.), Brett Thompson and Travis Randell (Twillingate, Nfld.).

Cazzola finished his career with 133 regular season points – tenth among all-time Axemen career points and 81 assists (12^th) and 52 goals (13^th). Thompson completed his four year university career with 53 regular season goals – 12^th amongst Acadia all-time career goal scorers along with 126 points – 14^th among Acadia greats.

The Axemen will face the UPEI Panthers in the quarterfinal series, while the Saint Mary's Huskies will take on Moncton. UNB and StFX will await the winners of the quarterfinal series.

Acadia communications, photo Eric Cederberg