Sunday July 23rd 2017
By Adam D’Agostino
Although the Capital Region Axemen might have been preparing for a tight-scoring game versus the
Tyendinanga Thunderbirds tonight at Howard Darwin Memorial Arena, it was the penalty box that was
getting most of the action throughout the evening. In a game that featured a total of 106 penalty
minutes, the Axemen managed to come out on the winning end, beating Tyendinaga 16-10.
Tyendinaga star forwards and NLL All-stars Mark Matthews and Shayne Jackson did not make the trip for
the game tonight, although the T-Birds were still able to field a potentially potent offence, with former
Axemen #24 Tim Bergin and #20 Shane Francis suiting up, along with New England Wolves Forward #26
Seth Oakes. The T-Birds managed to come out of the gate fairly strong, and were up 4-1 over the
Axemen midway through the 1st period. However, it was shortly after their 4 th goal when the game
began to unravel.
On the very next play after that goal though, both the referees seemed to miss the ball going out of
bounds, before making its way to the Axemen’s #6 Aaron Woods, who fired one past the T-Birds’ goalie.
Tyendinaga was understandably irate, however their objections fell on deaf ears (or rather french ears,
as apparently one of the referees provided by the QSLL for the game was francophone, and did not
speak English very well). Ultimately the goal stood, and it served as a turning point for the T-Birds, and
the rest of the game. The Axemen would rattle off 5 more goals in the next five minutes to close out the
period, with 2 coming on a 5-minute major penalty to Tyendinaga in the last minute.
Both teams cooled off a bit during the first intermission, and the start of the second period was fairly
tame, however midway through the 2 nd period is when things really started to get chippy, and ultimately
when the refs had lost control of the game. From then on, it was a steady stream of Tyendinaga players
headed to the box for the rest of the game, and although the Axemen were able to capitalise on many of
their powerplays, it never seemed to act as a deterrent to any of the T-Birds to stop playing so
recklessly.
Although, surprisingly, there were no fights, the game reached a boiling point in the third period when it
seemed a single play wouldn’t go by without the refs having to stop play and step in to either break up
scuffle and/or call a penalty. The referees were forced to toss out both Axemen #20 Curtis Singleton and
T-Birds #28 Charlie Goodleaf to try and regain control of the game.
With the game well in hand by the halfway point of the third period, the Axemen were content to
mostly run out the clock whenever they had the ball. The T-Birds scored a few late goals, but it was too
little and far too late.
The Axemen were able to put up 16 goals on a talented team, and, for the most part, were able to
maintain their composure in a high intensity and poorly reffed game. They will have to try and do the
same in the coming weeks, as the QSLL playoffs are set to begin. The Axemen will be facing off against
the Kahnawake Mohawks for the chance to play for the President’s Cup at the end of August. The
Axemen have been unable to beat the Mohawks yet this season, but in the playoffs, anything can
happen.