Ice Axemen sixth entering final weekend of regular season

BY JOHN DECOSTE

Kings County Register

The Acadia hockey Axemen, despite having 14 new players on the roster, enter the final weekend of the AUHC regular season within reach of a playoff berth - and with their destiny firmly in their own control.

The Axemen (10-13-3), who play Feb. 15 at Saint Mary’s and host St. F.X. in their regular season finale Feb. 16 in Wolfville, enter the final weekend clinging to the sixth and final AUHC playoff spot.

After coming back from a 4-2 third period deficit Feb. 9 in Wolfville to tie Moncton 4-4 at the end of regulation time (and earn a key point in the standings) before losing in a shootout, the Axemen hosted the CIS #1 ranked UNB Varsity Reds Feb. 10.

Acadia put forth a game effort, but ended up dropping a 7-3 decision. Rob Hennigar, the nation’s leading scorer, and Hunter Tremblay each had a goal and three assists for UNB, which has lost once in regulation time and once in overtime in 26 games this season.

Dustin Friesen added a pair of goals for the Reds, who led 2-1 after one period and 4-2 after 40 minutes. UNB ended up scoring twice on the power play and twice shorthanded.

All three of Acadia’s goals came with the man advantage, with Nathan Welton scoring in the first period, Whitehead in the second and Adam McIllwraith in the third.

The Axemen enter play Feb. 15 with 33 points - one more than the UPEI Panthers, who hold down seventh place. UPEI is at UNB Feb. 14 before hosting St. Thomas Feb. 16.

Acadia is also just a point behind fifth-place St. F.X. and two behind fourth-place St. Thomas, but the top priority for the team this weekend will be gaining enough points in their final two games to secure the final post-season berth.

The Axemen will be looking for the same solid effort against the second-place Huskies that allowed them to win 4-3 in a shootout Nov. 14. SMU won both the games between the two teams in Wolfville this season, 4-1 and 7-3.

The Axemen have won two of three games with St. F.X. so far this season. All three games have been one-goal affairs, with St. F.X. winning 3-2 Oct. 13 in Antigonish and the Axemen prevailing 2-1 in Wolfville and 4-3 in overtime back in Antigonish.