(Photo: Allyson Cummings/WCSN)
With Arizona State and Colorado State skating four-on-four, Sun Devil defenseman Ed McGovern accepted the puck from forward Sean Murphy in the neutral zone. Two minutes remained in the third.
Breaking away from Ram defensemen, McGovern ended the Halloween game shooting the puck through the five-hole of goaltender Alex Stielder.
It was his second of the night that wrapped up the 8-0 win for ASU and extended his total goal count to six.
Netting goals at Oceanside Ice Arena isn’t new territory for the Scottsdale native.
His dad, Scott McGovern, was head coach of the Phoenix Firebirds when they were state champs back in 2007-2008. His banner hangs in unison with the others above the snack bar entrance at Oceanside.
“It’s the fast pace, the physicality and the camaraderie in the locker room,” said McGovern. “My dad played, so I watched him play and then he would take me out for a free skate every once and awhile, and I fell in love with it ever since.”
Like many of the new recruits, a few familiar faces helped him make the decision to become a Sun Devil. Defensemen Jordan Young, Drew Newmeyer and Jarrod Levos began skating with the now 21-year-old McGovern around age eight.
“We tried out here and made the same team, and ever since that we’ve kept in touch. When I was thinking about coming here I asked the guys what they thought, how was the school, how was coach- and they pretty much sold it for me.”
As a Chicago Blackhawks fan, McGovern says he looks up to defenseman Brent Seabrook and his throw the body, heavy- hitter style.
“He kind of has my style of play,” He’s a great player to watch. He’s a stay-at-home gritty defenseman and once in awhile he’ll put up a couple points.”
His performance in the first couple of months is only a quick snapshot of the physicality he brings to the table and the role he is expected to fill on an already stacked D-core. So far as a Sun Devil, he’s tallied up six goals and four assists in 15 games. Previously a captain of the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede, the 5-foot-10, 216-pound blueliner registered 44 points and 279 penalty minutes in 183 games.
“It’s a big adjustment coming from juniors,” said McGovern. “The only thing you have to worry about is just playing hockey but here you need to keep up academically and still compete at a high level.”
The 21-year-old is one of three new defensive recruits added to a solid blueline led by captains Jordan Young and Brett Blomgren. Adjusting with his fellow defensemen, he says, has been the easier part.
“We’re getting better. We have nine overall good defensemen that have good vision and can play the game well,” said McGovern. “I’m able to come to practice and play with a couple of different guys and build chemistry.”
Besides being out on the ice at practice, some of that chemistry can be credited to the Ping-Pong table that sits in the team’s lounge.
“Before practice or after practice we’ll play,” McGovern said. “Me and Murphs at doubles are probably the best.”
While McGovern has been building chemistry with his teammates on and off the ice, he always harrows back to his dad’s advice.
“He’s been to the home opener,” said McGovern. “He said: ‘Keep playing well, you guys are a good and good things will happen.”
