(Photo:Allyson Cummings/WCSN)
In the first game of their two- week homestand, the Sun Devils continue to keep their home record pristine, defeating the Liberty Flames 6-4.
Less than a minute into the first, Liberty fired first when senior forward Ryley Egan corralled a bouncing puck and slipped it by ASU netminder Robert Levin. Fellow senior Lindsay LeBlanc was on the assist.
“This was a lesson to be learned that especially in first periods everyone is gunning for us,” said ASU head coach Greg Powers.
The Flames continued to set the pace for the remainder of the opening period. LeBlanc would put Liberty 2-0 on the man advantage after forward Eric Rivard was sent to the box for slashing.
The second period saw both teams trading shots. Sophomore forward Chris Burkemper put the first point on the board for ASU after a turnover in the neutral zone. His goal would trigger a flurry of goals from both sides.
Burkemper would find twine on the power play with 13:21 to go.
Liberty would steal the lead again, punching the puck past Levin on a goalmouth scramble. The goal was credited to Danny Logan with the assist from Cam Bakker.
Freshmen defenseman Ed McGovern and sophomore forward Sean Murphy would put the Sun Devils in the lead 4-3 with goals of their own.
Momentum stayed strong on both benches, but Liberty would fail to connect and cash in on their chances.
Liberty goaltender Cary Byron stood tall in between the pipes allowing the Flames to keep in stride with ASU.
“Tough game for a goaltender, especially the last two periods were we dominated possession, but there was some slop in front of him,”said Powers.
After Liberty forward Kyle Garcia tied up the score 4-4, assistant captain Liam Norris snagged the lead again on an odd man rush with assists from Ryan Belonger and Connor Mailey.
On his knees Eric Rivard put in the circus shots sealing the deal for the Sun Devils.
“Just working hard, trying to keep it in the corner but had some room there so I took it to the net,” said Rivard.
Both Colorado and Colorado State travel to Tempe next week.
