(Photo: Kylee Meter/WCSN)
In Colorado Springs, Colorado, 7,000 feet above sea level and facing an Air Force team that had not yet won a game, anything less than a sweep for Arizona State could have severely hindered its chances of playing its way into a postseason birth. The series also served as an opportunity to set the team’s secondary scoring back on track.
With 3-0 and 5-2 victories over the Falcons, the Sun Devils were able to accomplish both of those things.
Through the first four games of the season, the Sun Devils had scored an average of 2.25 goals per game (nine total), with 23 of the team’s 25 total points coming from the team’s top offensive line: sophomore Demetrios Koumontzis, junior Johnny Walker and junior James Sanchez. As well as the top defensive paring which consists of senior co-captain Brinson Pasichnuk and sophomore Joshua Maniscalco.
However, at Air Force the Sun Devils were able to successfully disperse production throughout multiple lines. Senior co-captain Tyler Busch kicked off the scoring in the series for the Sun Devils and served as the catalyst for his third line’s solid weekend.
“I think it gives us a big boost, for sure,” Busch said. “I think everyone is playing well, but when you can get more guys to contribute, I think it gives a lift on the bench. I think you saw that [against Air Force].”
ASU head coach Greg Powers singled out Busch’s play as a large reason for the spark in secondary line production.
“Buschy was really good this weekend,” Powers said. “We moved him back down to middle and that just gave him a little more freedom to be all over the ice and play a little downhill. When his legs are going and he’s playing with pace, he’s really good. He’s rally effective.”
Of the 19 total points scored over the course of the weekend, five came from the third line of Busch, junior William Knierim and junior Filips Buncis. The three had one goal, two goals and an assist and an assist, respectively.
Busch attributed the team’s improved performance in part to the players’ buy-in to the program especially so following being swept by Minnesota State.
“Powers stressed it all week,” Busch said. “We need to be more bought in as a team, and everyone needed to be a little more competitive and eager to win. I think everyone just stuck to their role and did what they do best.”
For the highly touted freshman forward Logan Jenuwine and his line mates, sophomore Jordan Sandhu and redshirt sophomore Austin Lemieux, it was also a breakthrough series.
Each player scored their first point of the year. While Jenuwine scored his first collegiate goal.
“Obviously, to get your first college goal is a really cool experience and one I’ve been dreaming about forever” Jenuwine said.
For the second line, ending the five-game scoring drought was a necessary development and one that will allow them to play more cohesively.
“We’ve been working hard, especially our line,” Jenuwine said. “We really haven’t really gotten the production we wanted in terms of scoring, so for us to get it was a relief for all three of us.”
Jenuwine added that his goal was a huge weight lifted off his shoulders and believes that the lessened pressure plus the rest that comes with a bye week will lend itself to his line continuing to perform well.
If ASU wants to walk away with a couple of wins against No. 9 Quinnipiac, the second line will have to continue to stay hot. It will have to be a whole team effort like like it was in Colorado.
“We’re going to focus on just work,” Powers said. “ …We’re going to work hard, and go hard at them and put in some serious work. Shore up some things we want to shore up.”
