(Photo: Gabrielle Mercer/WCSN)
The RPI Engineers started right where they left off last night, scoring five minutes into the first period and going on to win by a score of 4-1 over Arizona State.
The Sun Devils were outmatched and outplayed again by an RPI team that showed no plans of slowing down. Physicality and conditioning played a major role in the weekend series, and ASU found itself unable to skate with the Engineers for majority of the game.
Offensively, the Sun Devils struggled to find open shots, only getting off 50 percent of their shots in the offensive zone and amassing a total of 24 shots, compared to RPI’s 34.
ASU found itself losing countless puck battles and struggling to maintain possession in the offensive zone.
“They are a man on man D-zone, so it’s hard to get a cycle going when they play the kind of D-zone that they play,” ASU head coach Greg Powers said.
Maintaining the puck was one of the main struggles for Arizona State in the opening game of the series, and the problem continued in game two. ASU allowed the Engineers to score a shorthanded goal late in the second period.
The special teams play of ASU didn’t help the team’s chances of pulling out a win as they went o-for-1 on the penalty kill and allowed a shorthanded goal while on the power play. The Sun Devils also did not have a shot attempt in their two power play chances.
RPI’s goaltending proved to be dominant as well, as both starting goalies this weekend combined to allow only two pucks behind them. Pashovitz and Levin allowed a combined nine goals.
“I thought he was good. I thought he (Levin) was solid,” Powers said. “He made enough saves to give us a chance.”
Despite trailing late in the third period, ASU managed to put one in the back of the net via the stick of Cody Gylling. Freshman forward Jordan Masters assisted him on the play, extending his point streak to ten games.
The Sun Devils will travel to the land of the College World Series to take on No. 5 Nebraska-Omaha next weekend.
You can contact Joseph Constantin via e-mail or on Twitter @JConstantin10
