Sun Devils Drop Game One of Denver Series in Heartbreaking Fashion

(Photo Courtesy – Haley Rogalski)

Playing on the road in college hockey is one thing but playing against the No. 1 team in the country on the road is another. Add to that the fact that the opposing team is tied for the most National Championships in NCAA hockey with nine and that they are the defending National Champions, and an already steep hill looks steeper.

Just under a week ago and the second program-defining win for the Arizona State Sun Devils men’s hockey team (8-8-0), they once again find themselves playing a ranked team, this time on the road. Arizona State made the trip to the mile-high city of Denver, Colorado, this weekend for a two-game set against the No. 1 Denver Pioneers (11-4-0).

A game that, on paper, saw Denver having more shots on goal, more power plays, more face-off wins, and the list goes on was only a one-goal loss for the Sun Devils, who fell 3-2.

The game was tied up late in the third period. ASU had taken a 2-1 lead earlier in the period thanks to freshman forward Ryan Alexander on a textbook forehand backhand goal that was scored on the breakaway to give the freshman his fifth goal of the season.

This lead held for just under three minutes until the Pioneers scored their second power play goal of the night to tie the game back at two.

ASU took five penalties against the Pioneers, allowing them to score on two of them. Both of Denver’s first two goals came on the power play, while all of Arizona States were full strength goals.

While having five chances on the power play, DU peppered sophomore goalie TJ Semptimphelter for 56 total shots on goal. With 53 total saves Semptimphelter has 491 saves becoming the new NCAA save leader.

While presumably having all the momentum against them, the Sun Devils held strong and were looking to push the No. 1 team to overtime, just like they had done against at the time No. 2 Minnesota Gophers in their 6-5 victory. However, fate dealt a different hand to the Sun Devils.

Just as the clock passed the two-minute remaining mark of the third period, a shot from sophomore forward Ryan King from the right circle caused chaos.

As the puck flew toward Semptimphelter, he was able to make an initial blocker save, shooting the puck into the air. In an effort to defend against the Pioneers cashing in on the rebound, junior defenseman Tim Lovell reached up with his hand to try to knock the puck away. Trailing in behind Lovell was sophomore forward Jack Devine for Denver. The puck falls and ends up in the back of the net, which is initially waved off for being played with a high stick by the Pioneers.

Upon a coach’s challenge from Denver, the call on the ice was reversed, and it was ruled the puck was not played with a high stick, thus giving the lead back to Denver at 3-2.

Arizona State head coach Greg Powers did not seem to agree as he held a somewhat long but civil discussion with the referees at the ASU bench. Powers decides to challenge the goal already challenged goal himself. While Devine had a stick in the air, the puck also seemed to go off the glove of Lovell. If Lovell did hit the puck into the goal with his hand, the overturned call should stand as a good goal. If the puck was played with a high stick, the call should be overturned again back to the intall call that was made on the ice. So, after the initial challenge by Denver, Powers rechallenged the goal saying that the puck was played with a high stick.

If the high stick of Devine had hit the glove of Lovell knocking it into the puck and thus the puck into the goal, the goal should be waved off. After the second review the intall overturned call stood and the game restarted.

After 13 minutes of total review time, the puck finally dropped again in the third period, with Denver ahead 3-2 with the game winning goal being somewhat controversial. Powers pulled Semptimphelter with 1:25 left in the third period but to no avail despite the late offensive zone face-off and multiple chances by the Sun Devil. Lovell even made a diving stop on a Pioneers empty net chance to keep the deficit at one prior to the offensive face-off, but Arizona State could not squeeze out a tying goal against senior goalie Magnus Chrona.

While Denver generated 93 total shots compared to the Sun Devils’ 45, ASU was able to hang on with the No. 1 Pioneers. Arizona State will have one more shot at Denver, and if they can stay disciplined and out of the penalty box while not allowing Denver to have as many shots on goal, they could have a chance in game two.