(Photo: Sun Devil Athletics)
Just as a coin flip brings suspense in an unpredictable manner, the NCHC brings even more uncertainty. Arizona State is no exception to that, starting off its conference season with a big win, then immediately following it up with a mistake-filled loss.
ASU went into Oxford, Ohio, facing a 6-0 Miami team and coming off a big win in the Icebreaker Tournament. The Sun Devils started the weekend off strong with a 4-1 win over the RedHawks in a come-from-behind victory, but followed that up with a 5-2 loss to Miami, a game in which they led 2-1 in the second period.
“Analytically, we probably should have won both games. We had a very poor five minutes of hockey,” head coach Greg Powers said of the weekend. “It was good for the young group to go out and get a big road win, the first road win of the season in our first conference game of the season, and do it in regulation and take home all three points.”
Five poor minutes of hockey have been the story of ASU’s season so far. The Sun Devils have led in seven of their eight games, but have only found themselves on top in three of them. Against Penn State, two abysmal third periods allowed the Nittany Lions to overcome leads and sweep ASU. In the loss to Miami, it was a similar story. The Sun Devils started off the same way they started the first, finding themselves down a goal just minutes into the game. However, the Sun Devils battled their way back behind senior forward Cruz Lucius to take a 2-1 lead, before giving up three goals in five minutes.
“Shift after goals,” Powers said. “Every coach talks about how important shifts are after you score goals and shifts after you get scored on because you are looking to keep the momentum or get the momentum back. So when you get thrown out there after you get scores on or you score a goal, you have to wear that as a badge of honor.”
After a slow start to the season, Powers called on his veteran players to step up and help the younger roster get through the tough moments, which is exactly what he got. Whether it be Lucius with seven goals and three assists, senior forward Bennett Schimek with seven assists, or senior forward Johnny Waldron with three points, the Sun Devils’ veterans have had to play well in order to allow the younger players to grow into NCAA Hockey.
“[The young roster] has everything to do with it,” Powers said of ASU’s up-and-down start. “Just finding the confidence and the inner confidence in each other and the trust in each other. If you’re on the bench and you see somebody make a mistake that costs us a goal, you’re going to go out there and get the momentum back for us.”
ASU will take on No. 20 Colorado College this weekend at home. Last season, the Sun Devils went 1-3 against the Tigers, including an NCHC opening series sweep by Colorado College and a series split in Tempe, where they allowed five unanswered goals in the third period.
The Tigers come into this matchup after getting swept at home by Omaha. However, they still have some big wins, including a 4-2 opening night win over then No. 10-ranked UConn. They’re led by star forwards, junior Klavs Veinbergs and sophomore Owen Beckner, who find themselves with nine points each. After getting swept at home, the Tigers will be looking to bounce back in Tempe.
“We got a really good team coming in this weekend that just got swept at home that’s going to be very hungry for their first win, so we are going to get their best effort,” Powers said.
For ASU to avoid the Tigers’ bounce-back attempt, it will need its big-time players to rise to the occasion, such as sophomore forward and Calgary Flames first-round pick Cullen Potter. Potter has started off the season slow, racking up only one goal along with four assists, a stark contrast to the 13 goals he ended last season with. Potter is on a line with former CHL forward freshman Jack Beck, who started his season off with a goal against Miami, and Waldron, who had two assists in Saturday’s loss. If the Sun Devils can get Potter going, it will help their chances of stringing wins together, along with making a run at the NCHC.
“We just need him to start going to the net more and get a good, greasy goal,” Powers said on Potter. “And I think with him, one becomes three real quick and then he’s off and going.”
Another area that Powers wanted to get fixed was special teams, and in particular, the situational play of those units. In Saturday’s loss to Miami, the RedHawks forward Ilia Morozov took a five-minute major penalty, to which the Sun Devils did not capitalize. In its losses this season, ASU has gone 3-for-26 on the man-advantage, compared to its wins in which it went 7-for-23. ASU has also given up short-handed goals in two of its losses this season, including against Miami.
“We need the power-play to be way better situationally,” Powers said, “When their best player takes a five-minute major and we don’t really generate any momentum on a power-play to bury another team, that’s a momentum killer.”
Although ASU struggles on special teams, Colorado College is ranked last in the NCHC in power-play percentage (.125) and also has the sixth-ranked penalty kill in the conference. This weekend will be a good opportunity for the Sun Devils’ special teams units to get themselves back on track.
Powers also announced that freshman goaltender Samuel Urban will start this weekend, after not having played since the 5-2 loss to Augustana. The decision comes after senior goalie Connor Hasley struggled against Miami, giving up five goals in Saturday’s contest. Urban has a .912 save percentage in his two appearances this season.
For both teams, this weekend will give them an idea of where their NCHC season will go. Arizona State will look to get its second conference win, a feat it took till its fifth conference game last season. The Tigers will be trying to shake off an early-season sweep and get themselves back on track to compete for an NCHC title.
“After one weekend, it’s anybody’s conference and I think it’s going to be like that all year,” Powers said, “It’s going to be tough to see and live on six-point weekends with how narrow the margins are in our league and with how good everyone is.”
