A couple of miscues, some questionable officiating, and a rough attempt at a comeback late in the third ended up being the difference maker in a very close low-scoring affair.
The No. 12 Arizona State Sun Devils (10-3-1) had their three-game winning streak snapped Sunday afternoon after falling 2-1 to the No. 9 Providence Friars (9-4-2) settling for a series split.
“We just need to stay dialed in for a full 60 minutes […] we need to keep our foot on the gas pedal throughout the entire game,” Graduate Forward Tyler Gratton said. “We kind of gave them the two goals it’s not like they did anything special.”
It was a low event first period where neither team could find their game. Both teams traded a few chances, but neither side attained substantial offensive zone time. Providence made it difficult for the Sun Devils to gain the zone, resulting in many dump-ins that did not amount to puck retrieval.
The second period started off 4-on-4 and 14 seconds in Gratton drove the net before dishing one across to graduate centerman Brian Chambers who tucked it into the empty cage.
Providence challenged the play for offside which ended up being successful. It was ruled no goal leaving the game scoreless.
The Sun Devils opened the scoring 6:23 into the second period on their first powerplay of the game. Dylan Jackson picked up his seventh goal of the season tying senior winger Matthew Kopperud for the team leader in goals this season. Kopperud sent the puck towards the net which was tipped first by Jackson and then Providence defenseman Luke Krys before trickling into the net. A perfect example of how good things happen when you put pucks towards the net
The pace started to pick up, and ice opened up for both teams. After the Sun Devils took the lead, the Friars responded with an elevated sense of urgency scoring two quick goals in a row.
Providence graduate winger Jamie Engelbert battled in the corner before stepping out to the top of the right circle wristing one far side past junior goaltender TJ Semptimphelter.
3:25 seconds later Providence struck again to take a one-goal lead. This time it was the Boston Bruins’ 2020 6th-round draft pick, junior forward Riley Duran with great patience who waited for the perfect time to stuff one five-hole on Semptimphelter.
“You have to manage games against teams that good,” head coach Greg Powers said. “We had a lead and we were starting to play downhill, we turned pucks over and for about two minutes there we got on our heels.”
It was a stronger period for the Friars as they found ways to create more high-danger scoring chances and register double the number of shots the Sun Devils did.
Four minutes into the third period junior defenseman Jackson Niedermayer who was playing on the wing for the second consecutive game was given the chance to tie the game up at two on a breakaway but couldn’t solve Providence sophomore goaltender Philip Svedeback.
A shocking missed call that could have changed the game’s complexity left more than a few heads shaking as senior forward Dylan Jackson received a blindsided check to the head in open ice without the puck. There was no call on the play. The Sun Devils challenged the hit for head contact, but that did not change the referees’ decision ultimately resulting in no penalty at all and the loss of their timeout.
“I think that they didn’t call it after I challenged it because they didn’t want to be proven wrong […] I get getting it wrong live and refs are going to make mistakes but that’s why we have video review,” Powers said.
ASU started to dig deep and give it everything they had late in the third period desperately trying to make it a 2-2 hockey game. After taking control in the offensive zone, forechecking hard and trying to create anything they could, Semptimphelter was met with his biggest test of the game.
With just over two minutes left to go, he made a huge breakaway save keeping whatever hope the Devils had at tying the game up alive.
“He was great,” Powers said. “I thought he was really good, he did what he had to do to hold us in it.”
The Sun Devils received their second powerplay with 1:30 left in the game. They had many chances to tie the game but couldn’t seem to corral the bouncing pucks on their sticks. It wasn’t for a lack of effort, but the Sun Devils couldn’t find a way to send this one to overtime.
“I certainly don’t think we should have won but we could have won,” Powers said. “We could have had a different result, we played well enough to get that result it just didn’t go our way.”
The Sun Devils head on the road to Colorado College to take on the Tigers on the first and second of December. It will be just their second road series so far this season.
“I’m excited I love going on the road, you get to go into someone else’s building. I’ve never played at CC so it will be a lot of fun,” Gratton said. “All the guys are gonna be ready to go after this, we’re going to take the one win to the heart and come out flying next weekend.”
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