(Photo: Sammi Maxwell/WCSN)
For the second time this year, No.12 Arizona State Men’s Hockey (10-3-2) went on the road and picked up a 2-2 tie, this time against Colorado College (7-6-0).
Overtime hockey on the road was not enough to crown a winner, so per NCAA rules, the game ended in a tie despite ASU beating CC in a three-man shootout. ASU moves to 0-1-2 on the road this season as they are still searching for their first win away from Mullet Arena.
From the drop of the puck, the game’s tempo never seemed to lean toward one team, but it came in spurts for each. Colorado College appeared to have better chances; however, junior goaltender Tj Semptimphelter always seemed to find a way to keep the Tigers from scoring.
Statistically, ASU had the upper hand but also had to weather the storm throughout much of the game. While leading shots on goal 36-34, total shots heavily favored CC 73-50. Face-offs also went the way of the Tigers 37-30, but the Arizona State penalty kill was a perfect six for six, turning away some big chances at times from Colorado College.
After a weekend off for the Tigers, they came out chomping at the bit in the first period to get on the board. Just before the halfway point, they found a way to convert on a rebound let up by Semptimphelter. It all started after a shot from the point that generated an uncontrolled rebound by Semptimphter to senior forward Danny Weight.
Weight picked it up on the doorstep to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. After that, CC was shut down offensively by ASU even while under-manned. The Sun Devils proceeded to take two penalties in under three minutes; however, the kill for Arizona State came through to keep the lead at only a goal going into the second.
To start the second, the Tigers came out flying for the first two minutes, almost scoring to make it 2-0, but Semptimphelter sprawled out to make the first save, and then his teammates came in behind to cover a wide-open net. Then, seconds later, Arizona State mounted a charge the other way, resulting in senior forward Benji Eckerle titling the table back to even at 1-1.
Quarterbacking the play into the offensive zone was freshman forward Matthew Romer. Romer fed a pass to freshman forward Kyle Smolen, who rained in the bouncing puck enough to provide a beautiful pass over to Eckerle for the goal.
However, the Sun Devils didn’t stop there. Their top-five-ranked power play showed their strength as they capitalized on their second chance of the night while going one for three overall. Graduate forward Tyler Gratton capitalized on a puck that bounced off the boards behind the goal and off the back of goaltender Kaidan Mberko to Gratton, who cleaned up the loose change on the doorstep.
ASU’s third period lead only lasted for a second as, two minutes and eighteen seconds into the third period, senior forward Logan Will tipped in a shot from the point that trickled slowly through Semptimphelter’s legs into the back of the net. After that, it went back and forth from both sides, with neither gaining the advantage.
Overtime was controlled by the Tigers as well, with the Sun Devils struggling to find much momentum as they couldn’t even register a shot on goal. Colorado even rang one off the post late in the overtime period as one of the seven total shots they took.
If the Sun Devils want to pick up their first road win of the year, it will have to come in game two on Saturday, Dec. 2, against Colorado College; puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. MST.
