(Colorado Springs, CO) It was a fight to be expected from Sun Devil Hockey’s first conference game in program history on Friday night at Ed Robson Arena. Junior forward Ryan Alexander went down in the record books as the first ASU skater to score a goal in conference play.
The Arizona State hockey team (3-5-1, 0-1-0) put up a huge comeback after being down 2-0 at the end of the opening frame thanks to goals from Alexander, Dylan Jackson, and Noah Beck to take the 3-2 lead. Just as victory lay 57 seconds away, the No. 8 Colorado College Tigers (7-0-0, 1-0-0) tied the score, 3-3, to push the game to overtime. The Sun Devils conceded the overtime victory to suffer a 4-3 loss.
Despite the overtime loss, the Sun Devils still secured one point in the conference standings.
GAME NOTES
- Noah Beck broke away from his tie for the team lead in points with Bennett Schimek after a two-point night, including a goal and assist. He boasts 12 points from two goals and 10 assists on the season. He is tied for the NCAA lead in points by a defenseman.
- Beck has tallied at least a point in seven of the last nine games. Friday night’s goal is his first since ASU competed against then-No. 10 Michigan on Oct. 12. He boasts a team-high +7 through nine games as a Sun Devil.
- Artem Shaline led both teams at the dot with 18 wins out of 27 attempts for a 66.7 percent success rate.
- Anthony Dowd, Benji Eckerle, Cullen Potter, Ty Jackson, and Kyle Smolen also tallied points from assists.
- Ty Murchison ate four pucks, the second-most in a single game for him this season.
- Gibson Homer made his sixth start this season, making 17 saves against the Tigers.
- ASU dominated at the faceoff dot with a 56 percent success rate compared to CC’s 44 percent.
- With the loss on Friday night, ASU’s all-time record against CC moves down to 6-3-2.
- ASU led the shot chart with 30 shots compared to CC’s 21. ASU’s most productive period was the second, as they tossed 14 shots on net while holding CC to only four in the same period.
First Period
Nearly three minutes into play, Cole Gordon was called for cross-checking after dealing out a hit on a CC player in the Tiger zone. CC capitalized on the opportunity and took the one-goal lead at the four-minute mark. Some six minutes later, the Tigers tacked on some insurance with an even-strength goal to take the 2-0 lead. ASU had its first power play chance of the night at 15:56 in the frame. As the man-advantageended, ASU put up a shot on a net that rebounded directly to Ryan Alexander at the perimeter of the crease. With three Tiger skaters at the net, the puck miraculously bumped off multiple CC skates and into the net for the first ASU conference goal in program history. Ryan Alexander was tallied with the goal.
Second Period
The tale was flipped in the middle frame as ASU dominated the pace of play, putting the Tigers on their heels. ASU put 14 shots on net in the second period and held CC to a mere four, a mark that ties the team’sseason high for the fewest shots on goal allowed in a period. Dylan Jackson scored an even-strength goal off a tic-tac-toe play that gave assists to Noah Beck and Ty Jackson.
Third Period
To start the final frame of regulation, Sam Court and a CC skater both went to the penalty box, and a four-on-four play ensued. Neither team could break the 2-2 tie. At 6:53, CC was called for boarding, and ASU went to its third power play of the night. Noah Beck scored from the blue line with assists from Cullen Potterand Kyle Smolen to take the 3-2 lead.
All looked well with 90 seconds remaining and CC pulled their goalie for the last ditch effort. With just 57 seconds left, CC scored an over-the-shoulder shot from the goal line to push the game to overtime.
Each team had their chance in overtime, and ASU hit the post on its opportunity. CC scored at the 1:44 mark into extra time to collect the overtime win.
ASU earned one conference point for the overtime loss, and CC tallied two points in the overtime win.
UP NEXT: The Sun Devils return to Ed Robson Arena for another bout against No. 8 Colorado College on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. MST.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Paige Shacklett
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