(Photo: Alexis Ramanjulu/WCSN)
After last night’s match-up, The No. 7 Arizona State Sun Devils would yet again down the No. 11 Cal State Fullerton Titans by a score of 15-1.
After an intense Halloween brawl Friday that shook up both benches, ASU head coach Dennis LeClair took an unconventional approach to starting lineup. He elected to leave all three of his leading scorers: Ryan Francis (8), Brady Morgan (7) and Austin Ehrlich (6), out of tonight’s starting line-up. However, Arizona State was pleasantly surprised by the play of its reserves, and the team was able to net three shots within four minutes of each other.
Wesley Starr, the 6 foot 3 inch, right-handed forward, broke the seal for the Devils five minutes into the game with a beautiful feed from forward Jacob Weisman. Defenseman Preston Ames would also capitalize on a chance to increase the Devil’s lead to two. The scoring barrage would only continue after John Randal was able to score off of an assist from Jacob Weisman.
The Titans would do their best to pick up the defensive effort, and held the Devils scoreless for the next seven minutes. Wesley Starr planned on making the most of his opportunity on the ice, nonetheless, and would again score on the set-up from Jordan LeClair.
The intensity would pick-up in the second half, resulting in a Cal State Fullerton two-minute penalty on Sean Saligumba for unsportsmanlike conduct leading to a Devils power-play. The Titan’s mistake would set-up a goal from defenseman Liam Pues, this season’s biggest addition out of Long Beach, NY.
Captain Justin Havriliak would also contribute to his team’s cause when he was able to finish on an attempt from defenseman Jayce Davis. The second-period scoring was not over, forwards Daniel Gowens and Ryan McNeely would also score to help increase the lead to 8-0.
ASU would dominate the shots-on-goal count to this point, leading Cal State Fullerton 21-12 and seven goals on starting Cal State Fullerton goalie Trevor Wada, leading to a change in front of the net for the Titans.
The third period was nothing but insurance, with Arizona State already up 8-0, all the team wanted to do was have fun with it. Forward Ryan McNeely was able to score two goals in the period, giving him his first hat-trick of the season. Forward Daniel Gowens would be active in the period as well, scoring his second and third goals of the contest, earning yet another hat trick for the Devils.
Defenseman Zac Inzer and leading left-winger Austin Ehrlich also scored in period, bringing Ehrlich’s season goal total to seven. The Devils would be denied their shutout in the end though, after the Titans’ leading scorer David Marabella was able to find the back of the net and increase his season goals total to ten.
The Devils will look to keep the momentum going on next weekend when they take on the University of Denver at Oceanside Ice Arena. Catch the live broadcast at http://cronkitesports.com/live-broadcasts.
