(Tempe, AZ) The Arizona State ice hockey Team (4-7-1, 1-3-0) made history on Saturday night with a 3-2 victory over Omaha (3-7-0, 1-3-0) to pick up ASU’s first NCHC win in program history. Scottsdale native David Hymovitch cemented the Sun Devil victory with his first career goal at Mullett Arena.
ASU showed a resilient effort to rally behind a season high 44 shots in the winning effort despite missing key players including Dylan Jackson, Cruz Lucius and Charlie Schoen. This was the third-straight game that the Sun Devils posted 40-plus shots on goal.
ASU paced the game in shots from the jump, outshooting Omaha in each period and in the game 44-22. In the opening frame, the Sun Devils stifled the Mavericks to a mere four shots on ASU netminder Luke Pavicich.
With Hymovitch’s goal on Saturday night, he joins program alumni Josh Doan and Demetrios Koumontzis as the only Arizona-born Sun Devils to score a goal at Mullett Arena. After going his entire freshman year without a goal, Hymovitch has scored two in the last three games.
Goaltender Luke Pavicich stood tall making 20 saves in the winning effort. The stops are the third-most saves in a game for Pavicich this season.
PERIOD BREAKDOWN
Period 1
The Sun Devils were tested early on the penalty kill as Noah Beck picked up a crosscheck at the 2:51 mark. ASU successfully killed off the penalty, allowing only one shot on goal from Omaha. Shortly after the penalty kill, the Sun Devils got their first power play due to an Omaha crosscheck. ASU failed to convert on its opening power play chance. The Sun Devils created a slew of opportunities near the crease, resulting in the first goal of the game scored by Artem Shlaine at 13:34 to give ASU the 1-0 lead. Kyle Smolen and Ryan Alexander picked up the assists on Shlaine’s first goal in the maroon and gold. The Sun Devil penalty kill was tested yet again after a hooking call on Ty Jackson at 18:48. The unit held strong and took the Omaha power play into the 2nd period. ASU outshot Omaha 14-4, securing a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play.
Period 2
Omaha opened the period with 48 seconds of power play time on the board carrying over from Ty Jackson’shooking penalty. A stellar effort from the Sun Devil kill denied the Mavericks for the second time. Omaha later tied things up at 3:49 as Sam Stange snuck one by goaltender Luke Pavicich, knotting things up at 1-1. ASU quickly struck back as Ryan Alexander cleaned up a rebound on a point shot from Anthony Dowd, putting the Devils up, 2-1. Alexander picked up his second point of the night (1G, 1A) with assists coming from Anthony Dowd (4) and Kyle Smolen (5). Smolen’s assist was also his second point of the night (2A). The Sun Devils outshot the Mavericks in the period 16 to 11 bringing the game total to 30-15 heading into the third period with a 2-1 advantage.
Period 3
ASU started the third period red hot as Scottsdale native David Hymovitch tucked home his second goal of the season giving the Sun Devils a 3-1 advantage at 1:18. Ryan Kirwan and Ty Jackson were credited with the helpers for ASU. Omaha later began to apply pressure on ASU and broke through with a goal from Marcus Broberg at 12:22 to push the score to 3-2. The two sides went back and forth as Omaha pulled their goaltender at the 18:17 mark for the last ditch effort for the equalizer. The Mavericks last-minute flurry was staved off by netminder Luke Pavicich to keep the score at 3-2 as the final horn sounded, giving the Sun Devils their first NCHC win.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Paige Shacklett
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