(Photo: Sun Devil Athletics)
According to Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. That law is not always applicable in the world of sports, but it has undeniably been a theme throughout Arizona State’s season —a notion that echoed through its most recent series against No. 5 Minnesota Duluth.
After conceding three unanswered goals to the Bulldogs in Friday’s series opener, Saturday’s three points became increasingly more important for the Sun Devils as they attempt to gain traction nearing the semester’s end.
With junior forward and co-captain Kyle Smolen leaving the game after taking a high hit on Friday and UMD waltzing to victory shortly after, all of the action drew a reaction. The Sun Devils (8-9-1, 4-5-1 NCHC) outmatched No. 5 Minnesota Duluth (14-6-0, 7-5-0 NCHC) on Saturday, with their first line fueling a 6-3 triumph.
ASU responded to every move Minnesota Duluth made all night long, orchestrating all of the momentum into an upset.
It started in the first period, where just three minutes after puck drop, UMD’s junior forward Braden Fischer got the Bulldogs on the board first. The Sun Devils have struggled after surrendering the game’s first goal this season, with seven out of their nine losses coming when the opponent strikes first.
That narrative was quickly squashed in Saturday’s bout with senior forward and co-captain Bennett Schimek responding eight minutes later. That was quickly followed by senior forward Cruz Lucius and freshman forward Cullen Potter connecting on the power play, giving the Sun Devils the lead heading into the first intermission.
ASU claimed the same one-goal lead heading into the locker room the night prior, before facing an onslaught of offense from the Bulldogs that tilted the ice in their favor — the Sun Devils were ready for that surge the second time around.
The two squads went blow for blow in the middle frame with both goalies standing on their heads. ASU’s freshman Samuel Urban shut down several marquee chances from UMD while his Bulldog counterpart, sophomore Adam Gajan, shut the door on the Sun Devils, keeping his squad within striking distance.
Then, as the period dwindled to what looked to be a scoreless finish, Schimek unloaded on a one-timer that had Gajan scrambling, beating him on his glove side for ASU’s third straight while claiming an important two-goal advantage heading into the game’s final 20 minutes — a period that did not disappoint.
Lucius jumped on a turnover to give the Maroon and Gold a three-goal lead to start the third period, but the Bulldogs wasted no time responding. UMD’s sophomore forward and NCAA point leader, Max Plante, found the back of the net just 60 seconds later, opening the floodgates for three more third-period goals — the final being Schimek’s third of the game on an empty net as he tipped his hat to the opposing crowd.
Schimek was the cornerstone of ASU’s upset victory, scoring half of its goals with two assists to boot. His linemates Lucius and Potter also pitched in, scoring one apiece, as the trio notched nine total points on the night. Lucius’ and Schimek’s statement night also saw them earn their 100th career NCAA points.
Urban was also instrumental to the Sun Devils’ success, backboning the victory with 37 stops on UMD’s 40 shots. A number of those stops came in the final five minutes, where the Bulldogs mounted a comeback effort that was stonewalled by the Slovankien and ASU’s blueline, who stood tall in front of their netminder.
The Maroon and Gold also played a more physical game on Saturday, which could have been in response to the hit on Smolen the night before. Sophomore forward Noah Powell threw his weight around all night long, providing a gritty presence on the forecheck that slowed UMD down all night long.
The win on Saturday marks ASU’s third series split against top-10 teams this season — complementing the series splits against then-No.6 North Dakota and then-No. 3 Denver. While the Sun Devils are finding some success against top-ranked teams, this was the first time it felt like they were not treading water to do so.
In the win against North Dakota, senior goalie Connor Hasley stole the game with the Sun Devils being outshot by 26. ASU then snatched a win from Denver’s grasp, again with the help of Hasley, who posted 42 saves. While Urban played well, ASU went blow for blow with one of the NCAA’s best and held firm for 60 minutes, keeping up both on the ice and in the shot column.
Playing complete games has been a glaring struggle for the Maroon and Gold to begin the season, but Saturday’s win could mark a turning point right before the year’s halfway mark. ASU’s relentless forecheck and physicality wore down UMD, which allowed it to maintain the lead in the closing 20 minutes, slowing the Bulldogs to a screeching halt.
The Sun Devils’ inexperienced blue line also seemed more poised, limiting turnovers and managing the game at a higher level — a dimension of the game head coach Greg Powers has harped on all season.
Although a monumental win for the Sun Devils, they can’t cozy up by the fireplace yet, as the semester’s closing series will not be much easier. ASU will head to New Hampshire as an undefeated No. 8 Dartmouth awaits next weekend. Dartmouth also sits atop the National Percentage Index (NPI), so a win against the Big Green might be a confidence boost heading into the holiday break as ASU looks to end the season’s first half on a high note.
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