(Photo:Christian Coates/WCSN)
Fresh off their announcement to play Division 1 NCAA hockey next fall, ASU looked to stay focused on their ACHA opponents. A 2-1 victory over the twelfth ranked Illinois Fighting Illini was a good start Friday night.
“It can’t be a distraction because it’s reality, these guys are living in that world,” ASU head coach Greg Powers said.
Illinois seemed determined to crash the party early, coming out extremely focused against the devils in the first, negating ASU’s speed up the ice and slowing the pace of play to almost a crawl at times.
With the physicality level raised considerably compared to previous games this season, five penalties between the teams would be called by the time the period came to a close.
The best chance of the period would come on an Illinois powerplay toward the end of the period with Connor Schmidt off for interference. Ironically, the shorthanded Devils would be the team with the near goal. After picking a puck off of the boards, forward Tommy Cooney would fly into the offensive zone, ripping a shot from the right circle that would beat goalie Joe Olen, only to glance off the far post and wide.
The second stanza would start much the same way the first began with a lot of physical play and few scoring chances. Through the first the opening minutes of another gritty period, ASU would finally break open the scoring at 14:45 of the second. After a remarkable blocker save by Olen on Ryan Belonger, the puck would squirt out to neutral ice only to be picked up by a speeding Eric Rivard. Rivard darted around two Illinois defenseman before neatly slipping the puck five hole on Olen.
“I just caught their D a little flat- footed, a typical goal by me, going to the net,” Rivard said.
Feeding off their newfound momentum, ASU would strike again at 8:30 of the period. A clean breakout from their defensive zone would result in a 3 on 2 for the Sun Devils. Skating down the left side of the ice Chris Burkemper would thread a perfect pass to Cooney in the slot, snapping it over Olen’s shoulder, crossbar and in. The score would hold up through the remainder of the frame.
“It was a nice shot by Cooney but I credit that goal to Burkemper, he did all the work up the ice,” Powers said.
Coming out with new life, Illinois picked up the intensity and aggressiveness as the puck dropped on the third period. With Cummings leaving for slashing less than a minute into the period, Illinois hard work would finally pay off on the powerplay. Holding the puck at the blue line, John Olen would wrist a shot on goal, deflected by James Mcging, sailing just over Levin’s blocker and into the gaping net.
“We got out worked, [Illinois] deserved to win the game, they controlled the third period,” Powers said.
Illinois pick up the pace even more through the rest of the period, desperate for the tying goal. Levin and the Sun Devil defense would stand tall however, keeping Illinois at one goal and improving to 19-2 on the season.
Round two against Illinois begins tomorrow at 7:30 pm. Catch the live broadcast at http://cronkitesports.com/live-broadcasts.
