(Photo: Josh Eaton)
TEMPE — Back on January 2, after a 7-2 win against Alaska Anchorage, Arizona State head coach Greg Powers said that the Sun Devils had “bought into not being a perimeter team.” He added that they had established a standard for what they needed to be successful, including a physical forecheck and getting bodies to the net.
The Sun Devils met that standard without the result on Friday.
With zero healthy scratches due to injuries and CHL transfers bundling on one after another, the Sun Devils had no choice but to dress 13 underclassmen. The youth showed in ASU’s tenth conference loss this season.
Arizona State (13-15-1, 6-10-1 NCHC) fell 4-1 on home ice, allowing the St. Cloud State Huskies (14-15-0, 7-12-0 NCHC) to break their three-game losing streak.
Friday was the tenth time this season ASU has allowed an empty net goal, with both St. Cloud State junior forward Verner Miettinen and sophomore forward Austin Burnevik taking advantage of the open cage late in the third period.
“It was a winnable game,” Powers said. “We just didn’t win it.”
Powers said “winnable” five times and a variation of either “win” or “wins” seven times during his press conference after the game.
The Sun Devils earned their first scoring chance five minutes into the game, as junior forward Kyle Smolen fed freshman forward Carmelo Crandell from behind the net to the left slot. With the help of the third line made up by Crandell, Smolen and freshman Ben Kevan, the Sun Devils led in shots 5-2 nine minutes into the game by way of the forecheck.
“The forecheck was good,” Powers said. “We created a lot of chances off it tonight, we just didn’t finish… We felt like, probably five-on-five after two periods there, we could have been up a few.”
Another line that applied pressure to the Huskies’ defense was ASU’s second line of freshman forward Sam Alfano and sophomore forwards Logan Morrell Noah Powell, the only fully underclassmen line for Powers. With under three minutes left of the middle frame, Powell netted his fifth goal of the year, as his linemates picked up both assists.
The trio discharged 15 of ASU’s 34 shots, the most out of the Sun Devils’ forward lines. Alfano’s secondary assist extended his point streak to six games, a streak that has helped him be recognized as a newcomer who has stepped up.
“I think [Alfano has] done a really good job,” said Morrell. “He plays his role. He’s a big body, can hit guys, make plays in front, score goals.”
Just 1:48 into the second period, Huskies’ freshman forward Nolan Roed was called for a minor hooking penalty. After allowing St. Cloud State to set up an offensive possession, junior forward Tyson Gross capitalized from the right slot to start the game’s scoring. Thus far this season, the Huskies have scored five short-handed goals, only allowing one, as the Sun Devils have now allowed six, earning only one.
During that power play gifted from Roed, ASU failed to send a shot, as Gross’ stood alone on the stat sheet.
St. Cloud State sophomore forward Gavyn Thoreson was the first Husky to be sent to the box on Friday. A minor kneeing penalty almost turned sour for the Sun Devils, as Husky senior forward Grant Ahcan sped to a breakaway chance. Even with a save from freshman goaltender Samuel Urban, the two minutes did not go ASU’s way, going 0-for-2 on the man-advantage.
Heading into Friday, the Sun Devils were eighth in the nation on the power play at 26.2%, as the Huskies were 52nd on the penalty kill at a 75.3% mark.
“The power play’s got to be better,” Powers said. “It’s got to win us games, it certainly can’t lose us games, and tonight it just wasn’t any good.”
Things continued not to fall the Sun Devils’ way, after a failed challenge from Powers late in the third period.
After Mierrinen’s empty net goal, Powers asked the officials to take a look at a missed stoppage of play. During an offensive possession for ASU, the puck ricocheted near the top of the glass behind the net. Powers challenged, alleging the puck hit the net, but was told he couldn’t challenge ‘not in his defensive zone.’
“I don’t really know,” Powers said. “I need to polish up on that. [The missed stoppage is] a brand new rule.”
ASU’s 19 conference points are only one point ahead of Omaha’s 18, the team currently in last place in the NCHC. At the end of the season, the team sitting last in the conference is the only one that misses out on the NCHC Tournament and an opportunity to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Sun Devils will finish their series against the Huskies on Saturday, looking to pull further ahead of Omaha, which is on a bye week. The Sun Devils take on Omaha at Mullet Arena on February 20 and 21.
