(Photo: Gabrielle Mercer/WCSN)
After a rigorous Division I slate, the Arizona State hockey team can finally breath easy.
The Sun Devils will face off against Division III Wisconsin-Eau Claire in a two game home series this weekend in Tempe.
The Division I slate wrapped-up last weekend for Arizona State – the team finished with an overall record of 3-22-0 in its first year of NCAA Division I play.
Last weekend, the Devils were able to net their first two goals since playing Yale in the Desert Hockey Classic at UMass-Lowell.
“Friday I thought the guys played really well,” ASU head coach Greg Powers said. “Played hard against arguably the hardest team we’ve played against all year.”
As the weekend drew to a close, however, the Devils had still been outscored 22-2 and dropped all three games – two to Lowell and one on the quick trip to Merrimack on Sunday.
With the Division I slate having concluded, the Devils have just six games remaining on the season – including just two more NCAA games this weekend.
Arizona State thrives in Tempe against non-Division I teams; in six such games this season, the team has gone 4-0-2, averaging 6.33 goals per game.
Wisconsin-Eau Claire – the ninth-ranked Division III team in the nation – brings with it at 13-5-3 record.
The Blugolds offense, lead by Junior forward Adam Knochenmus, has averaged 3.95 goals per game.
Knochenmus has scored 30 points this season, on 17 goals and 13 assists. His 17 goals are tied for the third-most in Division III hockey.
For the Devils, the key in this series will be stalling the Blugolds’ potent power play.
Wisconsin Eau- Claire’s efficiency percentage of 29.76 leads Division III hockey. The Devils, however, have 71.7 percent of their opposition’s penalty opportunities – the 59th-best mark in Division I hockey.
Given the fact that all three goalies played last weekend, it’s anyone’s guess what Powers will elect to do at the position this weekend. Ryland Pashovitz or Robert Levin are a lock to play at least one game, however, should Powers want to get David Jacobson more reps, he could elect to take a different approach on day two.
In addition, expect Jordan Masters and Garrett Peterson to be focal points in the offense.
In games where Arizona State has at least one goal, Masters or Peterson has at least one point in all but one of those games.
For the Devils this will be their opportunity to end the season on a good note and build up some momentum heading into their sophomore season.
The opponents might not be Division I teams, but at this point, this team will take what it can get.
Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.
You can contact Colton Dodgson via e-mail or on Twitter @DodgsonColton
