Special teams speed a secret weapon for ASU

(Photo: Allyson Cummings/WCSN)

Fans and critics alike learned a lot about the top-ranked Arizona State hockey team this week. They learned about the depth of the team and how it affects the lineup going into games with key veterans suspended. Those in attendance at any point during the weekend saw dazzling performances in net from each of Arizona State’s three highly touted goaltenders. Yet with this quick burst out of the gates for the homestand comes one keen observation: amidst the deluge of scoring, an unnoticed spark in the special teams department drove ASU to victory.

Over the weekend, Arizona State scored 15 goals. Five goals were scored on the power play, two on the penalty kill, and the rest at even strength. The majority of the even strength goals were scored on odd-man rushes. What does all of this have in common? The scoring production really clicks when the Sun Devils attack with their speed.

Though over 50 percent of their goals were scored during five-on-five play, remember this: the sixth-ranked Delaware team that Arizona State saw had the best mix of size, speed and physicality the Sun Devils have seen at home this season. And even though the team walked out Saturday with three wins in three games, Arizona State did not look like the better team on the ice for a few periods at a time this weekend. In particular, Friday’s 3-2 overtime win against Delaware saw the Sun Devils serve three penalties in the second period, resulting in almost twice as much defensive play as in the first.

But on to the power play goals. At season’s start, the Sun Devils power play was not as fluid as it was this weekend. The man advantage was at its best on Saturday against DII Northern Arizona. Brian McGinty scored once late in the second and once again early in the third on the power play, and Danny McAuliffe added another to make it three in a matter of 13:02.

Head coach Greg Powers has made a lot of personnel changes on the power play since the last home games against the University of Arizona, and one of those changes has been helpful for both the player and his power play unit. Faiz Khan’s production has risen since joining the second power play unit with MacAuliffe and Liam Norris, as Khan tallied a goal and two assists on the man advantage. Norris’ numbers have also gone up drastically, he notched two assists on the power play and added three more on goals by his linemates – MacAuliffe and leading scorer Kale Dolinski.

Khan’s puck control on the right boards is complemented well at the right point by young defenseman Alex Temby. Temby shared the blue line with Brett Blomgren prior to this weekend, but Powers has decided to complement the freshman with Brett Prechel, a former forward who is exercising a fifth year of eligibility. Both Temby and Prechel can launch blistering one-time shots and both are mobile enough to facilitate quick passing.

The first unit is nothing shaky, either. Comprised of McGinty, Colin Hekle and Chris Burkemper at the forward positions and Sean Murphy and Jordan Young at the points, the first unit has been Powers’ most recent exciting experiment – switching Burkemper with Dolinski and moving captain Colin Hekle to the front of the net. Hekle has experience as a defenseman, but Murphy played the point on the power play in juniors, and Powers is always looking to magnify Murphy’s role in the offense, resulting in Hekle’s move to the slot.

Now, let’s not forget about the penalty kill. Arizona State had their best night short handed on Thursday, when they scored two short-handed goals. Dolinski had one of those goals and Hekle, his forward partner on the penalty kill, had the other. Both show good form on shot blocks and always use great positioning in the box formation.

Powers uses a plethora of defenseman on the penalty kill, but none had a bigger weekend than freshman Jarrod Levos. Levos assisted on both of the short-handed goals and on a Holstrom goal in the second period. Defensive partners Young and Temby are a go-to duo for Powers when the Devils are down a man when Young is staying out of the box; the sophomore is second on the team in penalty minutes, leading to opportunities for Levos to continue to log penalty kill time.

All in all, this weekend was a good weekend for the Sun Devils. I would not call it great because of how close the NAU game was, but Arizona State can make up for it by beating WCHL teams Colorado State and Colorado this weekend. As long as the squad takes advantage on special teams, Arizona State will continue the season unbeaten and top-ranked.

You can reach Greg Cameron on Twitter @GregCameron8 or at Gregory.cameron@asu.edu

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post