The Axemen came back from a 3-1 deficit to edge UNB 4-3 in overtime Nov. 13, then prevailed 6-5 over UPEI Nov. 14 in a wild showdown that also took overtime to decide.
Remarkably, rookie Kyle Farrell had the winning goal in both games, giving him four overtime winning goals in his first 11 regular season games in an Acadia uniform.
Against UNB, Boston Leier opened the scoring for the Axemen in the first period, but the CIS #1-ranked Varsity Reds responded with goals by Jordan Murray, Rob Mignardi and Alex Wall for a 3-1 lead 6:46 into the second period.
Daniel Petterson got one goal back at 14:48 to bring Acadia to within one after 40 minutes. The Mignardi, Wall and Petterson goals all came on the power play.
Leier had the only goal of the third period, his second of the night at 11:06 to tie the score and force overtime. Farrell then netted the game-winner off a scramble at 3:32 of the extra time.
Final shots on goal were 33-27 in favour of the Axemen.
The following evening, UPEI was in town, and the Panthers opened the scoring on Brock Beukeboom's power play goal at 4:11 of the opening period.
The Axemen responded to take a 2-1 lead before the end of the period on goals by Remi Giftopoulos, his first goal of the season at 5:38, and Mike Cazzola at 17:06.
The Axemen then gift-wrapped a pair of second period goals for the Panthers to give UPEI a 3-2 lead after two periods. Mason Wilgosh scored shorthanded at 9:20, and Chad LaBelle netted a power play goal at 11:37.
The goals came fast and furious in the third period. Stephen Woodworth made it 3-3 with his second goal of the season at 4:52, but Wilgosh's second of the game gave UPEI back the lead at 11:29.
Brett Cote's first of the season at 14:03 tied the score at four, and it seemed overtime might be looming. The Panthers, though, took a 5-4 lead when Nelson Armstrong scored at 19:09.
Acadia took a 30-second timeout, then pulled goalie Brandon Glover in favour of a sixth skater and was rewarded when Cazzola scored his second of the game at 19:42 to force overtime for a second straight night.
This time, the overtime lasted just 18 seconds. A UPEI clearing attempt hit an official, creating a two-on-one break for the Axemen. Farrell, quickly becoming an overtime warrior in his rookie season, made no mistake to end the game.
Acadia outshot UPEI 46-26 but was guilty of some sloppy play at times in their own zone, particularly on the Panthers' two second period goals.
The back-to-back wins for the Axemen, combined with UNB's 4-2 loss at Saint Mary's and St. F.X's 4-1 win over St. Thomas, created a logjam of sorts atop the AUHC standings.
UNB and St, F.X. were tied for first place with identical 8-1-2 records for 18 points, with Acadia (8-2-1) a point behind with 17.
The Axemen came back from a 3-1 deficit to edge UNB 4-3 in overtime Nov. 13, then prevailed 6-5 over UPEI Nov. 14 in a wild showdown that also took overtime to decide.
Remarkably, rookie Kyle Farrell had the winning goal in both games, giving him four overtime winning goals in his first 11 regular season games in an Acadia uniform.
Against UNB, Boston Leier opened the scoring for the Axemen in the first period, but the CIS #1-ranked Varsity Reds responded with goals by Jordan Murray, Rob Mignardi and Alex Wall for a 3-1 lead 6:46 into the second period.
Daniel Petterson got one goal back at 14:48 to bring Acadia to within one after 40 minutes. The Mignardi, Wall and Petterson goals all came on the power play.
Leier had the only goal of the third period, his second of the night at 11:06 to tie the score and force overtime. Farrell then netted the game-winner off a scramble at 3:32 of the extra time.
Final shots on goal were 33-27 in favour of the Axemen.
The following evening, UPEI was in town, and the Panthers opened the scoring on Brock Beukeboom's power play goal at 4:11 of the opening period.
The Axemen responded to take a 2-1 lead before the end of the period on goals by Remi Giftopoulos, his first goal of the season at 5:38, and Mike Cazzola at 17:06.
The Axemen then gift-wrapped a pair of second period goals for the Panthers to give UPEI a 3-2 lead after two periods. Mason Wilgosh scored shorthanded at 9:20, and Chad LaBelle netted a power play goal at 11:37.
The goals came fast and furious in the third period. Stephen Woodworth made it 3-3 with his second goal of the season at 4:52, but Wilgosh's second of the game gave UPEI back the lead at 11:29.
Brett Cote's first of the season at 14:03 tied the score at four, and it seemed overtime might be looming. The Panthers, though, took a 5-4 lead when Nelson Armstrong scored at 19:09.
Acadia took a 30-second timeout, then pulled goalie Brandon Glover in favour of a sixth skater and was rewarded when Cazzola scored his second of the game at 19:42 to force overtime for a second straight night.
This time, the overtime lasted just 18 seconds. A UPEI clearing attempt hit an official, creating a two-on-one break for the Axemen. Farrell, quickly becoming an overtime warrior in his rookie season, made no mistake to end the game.
Acadia outshot UPEI 46-26 but was guilty of some sloppy play at times in their own zone, particularly on the Panthers' two second period goals.
The back-to-back wins for the Axemen, combined with UNB's 4-2 loss at Saint Mary's and St. F.X's 4-1 win over St. Thomas, created a logjam of sorts atop the AUHC standings.
UNB and St, F.X. were tied for first place with identical 8-1-2 records for 18 points, with Acadia (8-2-1) a point behind with 17.
