ASU Women’s Hockey: Chmelovsky lights spark for Sun Devils for late push victory over GCU

(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)

When fans think of rivalry games, typically what comes to mind is aggression, tension and a fast-paced game over who will reign victorious. The enthusiasm and ferocity that typically accompanies a rivalry game didn’t appear right away, but eventually arrived when the Arizona State women’s hockey team rallied into Oceanside Ice Arena to take on their desert rival, the Grand Canyon Lopes.

ASU played a very disciplined opening frame, only receiving one penalty, which occurred in the final two minutes. While GCU did light the post first within the first 40 seconds, Aubrey Beskid evened up the scoring her second goal in as many games halfway through the period.

Entering the second period, the desire to win and the Sun Devils playing style did not go hand-in-hand when they took the ice. Both goals Jordan Nash-Boulden allowed, including one early in the second, were five-hole shots that fed into the howling and eagerness the Lopes had brought on the road with them.

“I don’t know whether it got on edge on me or something like that,” Nash-Boulden said. “I thought I had it- I thought it was stuck under there somewhere. Obviously I missed it, it happens.”

It’s simple- at the time, the Sun Devils were being outplayed.

“The first five or 10 minutes were not the kind of hockey we know we can play so it was a little disappointing.” Nash-Boulden said. “Even after, up until the end of the second period we weren’t playing to our full potential.”

ASU had several opportunities to capitalize during the first two periods, but struggled to finish on many of those opportunities. The Sun Devils slightly controlled possession, but not being able to control the puck left them in the deficit out of the second period.

As ASU took the ice at the start of the third period, the entire team finally found the spark they needed.

“We played a really slow 40 minutes and it showed on the scoreboard, but that’s not our game and it’s really unfortunate that we didn’t play up to our potential,” head coach Lindsey Ellis said. “ We have to play every period like the third period.”

The Sun Devils skated out with a high level of intensity and speed that led to the comeback victory.

ASU evened up the scoring quickly after the start of the period as Avery Chmelovsky found the back of the net for her first collegiate goal. As the clock ticked down to zero, the team played with the desperation and competitiveness that seemed to lack at puck drop.

Chmelovsky turned that spark into a full flame as she sent the puck past a crowded crease for her second goal.

“I can’t believe I got one, but then to get two I was like, “What is happening?,”” Chmelovsky said with a smile. “I won’t forget it. It was just amazing.”

It was a rough beginning, but with Chmelovsky’s two scores and a power play goal late in the third period from Ashlyn Sunderman, the Sun Devils proved the saying, “just because you’re down, doesn’t mean you’re out” as they prevailed past their rivals to take home the victory.