Hockey Axemen off to solid start in AUHC

Before the season, I predicted the Acadia hockey Axemen would be an improved team over last year, and would likely end up in the top half of the AUHC standings.

From what I’ve seen so far, I see no reason to alter that prediction. I don’t really expect Acadia to finish first or win the conference but, on the other hand, anything is possible.

Head coach Darren Burns, faced with a more “normal” recruiting year after last year’s 14 new faces, targeted speed, size and scoring punch. What he didn’t say was his preference would be to find players who would give him all three in the same package: not easy at the best of times, especially with teams in your own conferencewith similar shopping lists.

To Burns’s credit, he appears to have struck gold with this year’s recruiting class, bringing in players who can not only make an impact, but do so pretty much right away.

Jonathan Laberge has been the story of the season so far, not only for his eight goals in Acadia’s first seven games, but in that he appears to be the whole package: he can skate, has a good touch around the net, good leadership skills and a strong work ethic. He wasn’t as highly-touted as former junior teammate Ryan Graham, but just might end up a better university player.

Not that there’s anything wrong with Graham who, though he has battled injuries, looks like he will be a solid AUHC player. Ditto for fellow rookie forwards Chris Bruton and Scott Tregunnan.

The best thing about the addition of Laberge, Graham, Bruton and Tregunna (the latter two chose Acadia over UNB) is not as much in what they have been able to do in their own right, but in that they have made all the other Acadia forwards better, too.

Paul McFarland, Blair Jarrett, David Lomas, Tyler Whitehead and Philippe Bertrand were already solid, but have blossomed this season. It likely would have happened anyway, but I credit a boost from their new teammates.

The “fourth line” - Chris Giles (when he isn’t playing defense), Zack McMillan, Kris MacDonald and Alex MacDonald - has, so far, been a perfect complement. Essentially employed as a “checking line,” these guys have been among the hardest-working Axemen every time out - and occasionally even get points on the scoresheet.

One drawback offensively was a lack of scoring punch. Not only has the Axemen power play been a real positive so far, the team has also proven capable of erasing a deficit, even against teams like UNB and UPEI. While it hasn’t always ended in victory, one has to believe that will come.

That’s not even taking into account the Axemen defense, a largely-unheralded crew which has, game in and game out, been as good as any. Nathan Welton, in his second year, has impressed me so far, both with his steady play on defense and his impact on the power play.

I’m sure some had been expecting the Axemen bubble to burst each of the past two weekends. Instead, Acadia showed some character coming back against a good UPEI team, taking UNB to overtime before losing, then arguably had the better of Moncton before losing 4-2 on a pair of power play goals and an empty-netter.

With a 4-2-1 record entering play this weekend, Acadia has managed to make hay against teams equal with or below them in the standings, and has been competitive against the top teams: a good recipe for success – if not right away, then certainly in the near future.