(Photo: Travis Whittaker/WCSN)
GLENDALE, Ariz. — If there was any way that Arizona State sophomore Evan DeBrouwer could top his monumental 33-save victory against the No. 4 ranked University of Denver Pioneers on Friday, DeBrouwer laid all those doubts to rest the following night.
Under the bright lights of Gila River Arena, Evan DeBrouwer awed the crowd save-after-save with a career-high 44 saves in a 2-2 tie to the Pioneers.
Sure, the game didn’t end in that coveted sweep that the No. 20 Sun Devils were just 41 seconds away from earning, but had there been anyone else in net Saturday, ASU probably wouldn’t walk out with the series split.
“He was the reason that we tied,” ASU head coach Greg Powers said. “He was outstanding. He probably had at least 15 Grade-A, tremendous saves. He’s a hell of a goalie.”
From first puck drop, to final whistle, DeBrouwer was nothing short of phenomenal, making highlight reel saves one after the other. Highlight reel saves that included this full-stretch blocker save to maintain the Sun Devils 2-1 lead midway through the third period:
*We’re out of tweets for this guy tonight* pic.twitter.com/cXBtt1vrsa
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) December 8, 2019
“A lot of times when you play a busy game, you just see the puck a lot more,” DeBrouwer said. “It just keeps your mind focused on the game. So, yeah, I was seeing [the puck] well, tonight.”
DeBrouwer’s 44 saves on Saturday eclipsed his previous save mark of 38, which came at Air Force on October 19th.
Saturday’s performance earned DeBrouwer the highest praise a head coach can give to his goaltender, as Powers called DeBrouwer’s performance the best he has ever seen from an ASU netminder, ever.
“I think [DeBrouwer’s goaltending] ranks at the very, very, very top,” Powers said.
That, of course, is saying a lot. Especially when you look at who was in net for the Sun Devils last season: Joey Daccord.
Daccord currently plays for the Brampton Beast of the ECHL, and made his NHL debut with the Ottawa Senators after ASU lost to Quinnipiac in the NCAA tournament.
For DeBrouwer, though, this weekend’s dominant showing has closed the book on who would be the No. 1. goaltender for the Sun Devils. DeBrouwer saved 77 of 80 shots against Denver (.963 SV %) and has built himself a five-game unbeaten streak (3-0-2), saving 144 of 150 shots (.96 SV %).
As for the reason for DeBrouwer’s success? He relates all back to the support he has received over the year.
“It’s been nice, the support that I have here on the team,” DeBrouwer said. [The support] in the dressing room and behind the scenes is really the reason why I have been able to play as well as I have.”
Now, the Sun Devils get ready for their next challenge against Michigan State, a team they swept last year. In tow, will be the reaffirmed mentality that ASU can beat anyone.
“We can compete with anybody,” DeBrouwer said. “I think that [Denver] is a really good team. They’re on of the best in the country, and we showed that we can play with anybody. For a group like us, it’s nice to play the way that we did.”
