(Photo: Kylee Meter/WCSN)
In the dying seconds of the series finale between Arizona State and Michigan State, sophomore forward Johnny Walker looked down to the empty net at the other end, hoping to seal the deal. The Sun Devils were holding their ground, protecting a 2-0 lead as the Spartans sought to mount a comeback with the extra attacker on the ice.
Walker twice had the opportunity to bury the puck and deliver the final blow, but his shot whistled just wide on both occasions.
In the end, the Sun Devils took care of the Spartans all the same, securing a sweep against a Big Ten opponent for the first time in program history. ASU improved to 9-3-0, surpassing its win total from last season – reaching a plateau that coach Greg Powers and the Sun Devils focused on achieving from the very beginning of the season.
“It’s a genuine feeling in there that these guys believe in each other and they think that every time we take the ice, we should win,” Powers said. “Players win games, and right now our guys are doing what they need to do to be successful. Everyone is pulling in the same direction.”
The Sun Devils didn’t need much from the nation’s leading scorer to do it. Walker entered the weekend as the NCAA’s leader in goals and points, but was kept off the scoresheet in a series for the first time this season, snapping his six-game point streak in the process. For past ASU teams, that lack of production might have meant doom. However, Walker’s new teammates had his back — 12 different Sun Devils tallied points to contribute to the team’s six goals against the Spartans, with production coming from the top and bottom of the lineup.
“It goes to show this is a really good team,” Powers said. “Walker is going to get his fair share of goals as we continue to go, but we really are balanced. If you look over the course of the season, I think we only have one player who’s been a regular that hasn’t scored yet. It’s a great sign.”
With the game knotted 3-3 heading into the third period of the opener, the second line of freshman Jordan Sandhu, freshman Austin Lemieux and junior Brett Gruber took charge. Sandhu recorded his first career collegiate goal, part of his three-point night, to give the Sun Devils a 4-3 edge. Three minutes later, the trio performed a perfect tic-tac-toe play with Gruber putting on the finishing touch.
“Gruber, Lemieux and Sandhu hadn’t played a shift together all season long and it worked getting us two huge goals to put Michigan State on their backs and we got a win,” Powers said.
Slotted in the extra forward role, sophomore forward Filips Buncis made the most of his ice time this weekend, netting his first two goals of the season. Buncis also earned opportunities on the power play and cashed in game two with a one-time blast past MSU goaltender John Lethemon.
“[Buncis] deserves more time,” Powers said. “What makes him so special is that he gets it. He is an incredible teammate and he’s making the most of his opportunities. Whether he gets a shift or plays 20 minutes, when we win a hockey game, he’s the happiest guy in the room.”
To prove the capability of all four lines, Powers was not afraid to put out his bottom six forwards on the ice against MSU’s top line, which he had said last Tuesday was “the best line in all of college hockey.” The Spartans trio of Taro Hirose, Patrick Khodorenko and Mitchell Lewandowski combined for 28 points in the season’s first seven games, but the Sun Devils shut them down to just two points in the series.
“We did a good job matching up,” Powers said. “Clifford’s line and Croston’s line were primarily out against those guys. We challenged them and we take a lot of pride trying to shut them down. You can only limit them so much. They’re a really talented group, so it was good to stop their top line.”
The speed and strength of the Sun Devils’ depth translated over to the success on special teams. ASU clicked twice on nine man-advantage opportunities with markers from freshman PJ Marrocco and Buncis, but it was the penalty kill that played the biggest special teams role.
After entering the series with the fifth-ranked power play in the country, Michigan State power play earned eight chances in the two games, including a five-minute major against ASU freshman Jarrod Gourley.
However, the Sun Devils successfully killed off every Spartans’ opportunity. With the impressive defensive posture from junior goalie Joey Daccord and penalty killers, ASU now holds the top penalty kill in the country.
“It all comes down to one thing: hard work,” junior defenseman and co-captain Brinson Pasichnuk said. “The guys are putting the team before themselves. We’re blocking shots every single penalty kill. That’s really why we are having so much success.”
