The Axemen Get Cut Down

The Black Bears had their first exhibition game on Sunday afternoon. Normally a game of Blue and White as the team competes against itself, the Black Bears chose to take on another Canadian opponent. Last year, Maine played the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds. The Reds were undefeated only losing to the Portland Pirates, Maine's AHL team and farm team of the Buffalo Sabres. The Black Bears were able to take a victory, but not without their share of penalty minutes and bruises. The Canadian teams, though college, wear half shields and are allowed to drop the gloves and take a fiver without further consequences. This is not so with NCAA rules and apparently someone forgot to mention that to the Acadia Axemen last evening.
The Black Bears started strong netting a goal by Junior Defenseman, Will O'Neil midway through the first. The Amemen came out not looking for goals, but for damage. Throwing the bodies and high hits caused the Axemen to have an accumulation of 30 penalties for 130 minutes with 5 game misconducts. The Black Bears proved they care more about winning and focusing on their game then trying to mix it up with players who were bigger and older.
The rookies proved that they want a roster spot this year and set out to do just that. Kelen Corkum , the freshman forward playing on the fifth line in the exhibition scored Maine's second goal and first of the second period with help from rookies Jon Sawvely and Brice O'Connor, who at 5-10 took on the larger offensemen he faced with ease. Dan Sullivan, the rookie between the pipes, looked decent in the latter part of the game only allowing 1 goal passed him in the third period when the game was out of reach for the Axemen. Shawn Sirman, the Sophmore from Ontario who had a rough season last year as a freshie, looked solid, comfortable and very calm in net making it seem like he will be the go to netminder for the Black Bears while rookie Martin Ouellette is sidelined with a lingering injury that will have him out for a bit.
The first line of the Black Bears remains in its old form with the slight jersey alteration of the Swedish Sensation Gustav Nyquist being the second Alternate Captain for the team along with Jeff Dimmen. There is no question why Nyquist would be given the A from last years performance leading the league in points and being a sophomore in the Hobey Hat trick and only beaten out by the senior Blake Geoffrion of Wisconsin. The Black Bears look in mid season form already and look to take on the UMass-Lowell Riverhawks in the season opener on Saturday Oct. 8th and face the UConn Huskies the following night. You can hear all the action on WMEB 91.9 fm at 6:30pm with myself and Steve Ventresca making the calls live at the Alfond.