(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
The Arizona State women’s hockey team skated onto the ice with guns blazing Saturday night, rebounding with a 6-5 win after a tough loss to Colorado State Friday night.
“When we know we have a slow start, that’s the first thing we talk about,” assistant coach Kaley Marino said. “Unfortunately yesterday was a rough start, but usually we’re pretty good at rebounding and understanding that we cannot do that again.”
“I think we came in very offensively today which we needed after yesterday,” defenseman Alyssa Ayers said. “We came in with that fire under us to get revenge on them for how physical they were playing yesterday.”
Ayers, who had no assists this season entering the game, collected four to put her third on the team in that category.
ASU entered Saturday 3 for 31 while on the power play, then doubled its power play goal total in the first period alone with three more goals with an advantage.
As a team that has collectively struggled to capitalize with an extra player on the ice, the Sun Devils finally were able to find the magic that worked for them. For both Ayers and Kat Jones, that magic can be credited to patience and control.
“We had patience and control and taking our time with it and setting up, just not rushing anything, not trying to force anything,” Jones said.
The Devils found themselves in a 5-on-3 power play early in the first period, and Alisa Manny was the Sun Devil that ignited the spark- a spark that quickly turned into a full blown fire.
Unlike Friday night, the Sun Devils’s ability to stay out of the penalty box was a contributing factor ASU/s four goals in the opening frame.
As the Rams played more and more aggressive, the Sun Devils played even more disciplined to maintain a full lineup and to keep the CSU offense at bay.
“Our traffic yesterday was a bit much,”Ayers said. “It was staggered and people got flustered in front of the net and I think today we were more patient and we had our eyes on people instead of the puck and I think it’s pushing those people out and letting Jordan [Nash- Boulden] to do her job was a big key in that win today,”
The Sun Devils found themselves on the penalty kill three times for the Saturday night victory, two of which resulted in a goal for the Rams.
“We took a penalty and we got a goal on that penalty, but we had a player sticking up for a player that was wiped out earlier in that period so I’m not entirely upset about that,” Marino said. “I think we just have to be more defensive in our zone and not worry so much about trying to move the puck out and be offensive when were down like that.”
While ASU allowed two goals to hit the back of the net during the penalty kills, the Devils were able to take the puck to the back of the net for a total of five times while on the power play.
The 6-5 win over CSU was the Sun Devils’ first home win of the season and saw five different players score.
Jones scored twice for eight goals on the season, breaking ASU’s freshman record for goals, which was set by Catherine Jones last year with seven.
Manny, Ashlyn Sunderman and Amy Gulliksen each recorded a goal and assist on the night, while Danielle Dupont had two assists on the stat sheet.
With ASU back on the road next weekend, the team’s focus immediately shifts to the University of Colorado and Denver.
“We have to start deciding to win the next game right following the end of the last game, so that’s what our mentality has to be,” Marino said. “This game is nice. We won, we came out with it, but we have to start preparing for next weekend. We have to decide now that we want to win next weekend and that comes from practicing and taking care of your body.”
