ASU Women’s Hockey: Sun Devils struggle against No. 6 Michigan

(Photo Courtesy: Billy Wuneburger)

TEMPE – Arizona State club women’s hockey and Michigan would come out even in the first game of their series, giving both ranked teams a tie.

ASU would get an early opportunity to score with a powerplay going to them, but halfway through, junior forward Haley Martin would take a 4-minute penalty to end the ASU man advantage. Even with the Sun Devils being shorthanded, sophomore forward Elle McKenna got an excellent opportunity shorthanded on the breakaway but was stoned by sophomore goaltender Sandrine Ponnath. ASU kept returning to the box with sophomore forward Sammy Murphy and junior defenseman Maddie Pladson heading to the box. Both penalties were killed by ASU.

ASU would get back on the powerplay with a tripping call on Wolverines freshman defenseman Cara Kolwich. While ASU would get some good looks, graduate forward Mason Walker would struggle to get off the ice right before the period ended. The shots at the end of the first would be 10 for ASU and six for the Wolverines. The score would reflect the tight game as it was 0-0.

ASU would start the period off with a powerplay due to a hooking call on the Wolverines. While the Sun Devils spent a lot of time in the Michigan zone, not a lot of good opportunities came to them as the Wolverines killed the penalty.

Walker and his teammates would get some good looks at Ponnath but even as the Sun Devils placed good shots on the Wolverines’ goaltender, Ponnath kept stopping them. This included a good shot by Murphy on a powerplay opportunity for ASU. The Sun Devils kept pushing as freshman forward Camryn Kozak and sophomore forward Elle McKenna both put up quality chances but Ponnath kept turning them away.

“I thought the intensity was there. I think we’re outworking the other team a lot of the time. We’re just not producing as much as we can,” senior defenseman Berkleigh Radcliffe said.

On the powerplay, freshman forward Emily Maliszewski managed to escape from the ASU defense to face sophomore goaltender Karsyn Hellman one-on-one. Hellman made an unbelievable save and then ASU rushed back to Michigan’s zone. Radcliffe and Kozak got the puck to the net and then Walker slammed it home to break the scoreless tie. That was Walker’s team-leading 13th goal of the season. Walker’s late goal would end it for the period with ASU having the 1-0 lead. ASU had 18 shots that period while the Wolverines only put up six shots.

The third period would start off just how Walker ended it. Junior forward Sydney Paulsen slid a pass to Walker in front of the net for Walker’s second of the game. That would make it 2-0 to start the final period.

With ASU up by two, McKenna took a double penalty as she wrestled with Ponnath. This would prove to be detrimental for ASU as Michigan scored back-to-back goals. Graduate forward Maria Di Crese with the first goal and freshman forward Julia Lindahl with the second goal. These two goals put the score at 2-2, wiping away any momentum ASU had.

“That was something our coaches were trying to drill into our heads: to stay out of the box next game,” Radcliffe said. “It really took away from a lot of scoring opportunities we had this game.”

Graduate defenseman Sheridan Gloyd took another penalty for ASU with only a couple of minutes left in the game. Junior forward Haley Martin would join her in the penalty box a minute later putting ASU down two players. Luckily, Hellman bailed her team out with two minutes left to go. Off that penalty kill, Murphy and Paulsen were sprung as they bolted into the Michigan zone. Murphy slid a pass to Paulsen who scored. Her team gathered around her as her team was back in the lead with minutes left.

ASU had everyone on the edge of their seats with seconds remaining as Michigan bolted into the ASU zone and with a breakaway, as Hellman made an incredible save to stop Michigan. However, eight seconds remained. Time ticked down and Hellman could not stop a rebound by junior forward Kelsey Swanson who tied the game with three seconds left. This would send ASU into their first overtime period this year.

Numerous chances appeared for both teams throughout the three-on-three overtime. Both Hellman and Ponnath shut the offenses down. The game would end in a 3-3 tie giving ASU their first-ever tie.

“We’re definitely not happy with the outcome but we’re excited to come back tomorrow and play stronger,” Radcliffe said.

ASU put 42 shots on the net against Michigan while Michigan put up 27.