ASU Men’s Hockey: ‘Felt really good’ Walker breaks out of three-game slump against Denver

(Photo: Patty Vicente/WCSN)

A season ago, Arizona State’s then-sophomore forward Johnny Walker was a revelation. He collected a career-high 22 goals in 31 games and led ASU’s budding program to a tournament appearance. 

At the onset of Walker’s junior campaign, his electric pace from 2018 did not appear to deviate from its rampancy. He scored six goals in the Sun Devils’ first eight games of the season.

Walker’s rapidity in climbing the national ladder among goal scorers eventually hit a wall. In the three games leading up to No. 20 ASU’s series with No. 4 University of Denver, Walker was completely blanked. 

“It’s frustrating,” he said. “You’re not doing your part when other guys are doing theirs. It was wearing on me a little bit.”

But, with his normal confidence and frustration used as a motivator, Walker emphatically broke out of his slump with a hat trick against the Pioneers. He scored three of ASU’s four goals in its 4-1 victory on Friday night and increased his season total to nine goals and 16 points.

Friday night’s outburst began just five minutes into the opening period with a toe-drag and bar-down snipe past Denver freshman goaltender Magnus Crona.  

“First one, [sophomore forward Jordan Sandhu] made a great rink-wide pass,” Walker said. “We talked to him about what they were doing through the neutral zone, so we made the adjustment there. It was a great pass, and a great finish.”

The Sandhu to Walker chemistry fermented throughout the night. 

At the 15:53 mark in the first period, Sandhu found Walker again. The junior winger drew Crona from the crease after which he sprawled forward giving Walker and empty net for his second score of the evening. 

https://twitter.com/SunDevilHockey/status/1203140739720339456

“Just a sick pass,” Walker said. “I saw the goalie come out and just thought I had to get around him, and then it was just don’t miss from there.”

Walker’s presence was felt all over the ice on Friday night. The 21-year-old led all skaters with nine shots — adding to his team-leading 50 shots on goal.

Walker has been aided by the play of transfer junior forward James Sanchez this season. The pair have combined for a +18 differential.

While those two remained constants in the first line, ASU head coach Greg Powers chose to shift Sandhu up to top line with the dynamic duo. The three forwards combined for ASU’s best scoring chances on the evening.

“Clearly, I knew he was going to get two great assists in the first period,” Powers quipped.

Regardless of his first-line teammates, Walker serves as the team’s most potent offensive weapon. He leads the Sun Devils with nine goals and 16 points, but it’s not just the numbers that tell his story.

The junior forward was a threat in the right circle during ASU’s power play, which scored once on three opportunities against Denver’s No. 10 ranked  penalty kill.

Walker sacrificed his body to make plays while entering the offensive zone on multiple breakouts. He also showed zero hesitance to get in his opponent’s face, a quality which benefited him and allowed Walker to score his third goal of the night, which extended ASU’s lead to 3-1 late in the third period.

Walker’s production has been essential for a Sun Devils team that entered the play in the first game against the Pioneers as the No. 19 scoring offense in the country at 3.08 goals-per-game.

The showing on Friday night was Walker’s second multi-goal performance of the year. His hat trick was the second of his college career. The last time was a four-goal masterpiece against Nebraska-Omaha on Oct. 27, 2018.

“When it’s your role to produce offense, help carry the offensive load and it doesn’t go your way, it’s frustrating,” Walker said. “You know you’re not doing your part. Other guys are doing theirs. It was wearing on me, so the first one felt really good.”

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