In the two-game series finale, former Arizona State forward Johnny Walker participated in the ceremonial puck drop at center ice. Walker is ASU’s all-time leader in goals (70) and points (123). However, the five-year Sun Devil’s presence wasn’t enough for the No. 16 Arizona State Sun Devils (11-8-1) to sweep their home series against the No. 14 North Dakota Fighting Hawks (12-8-1).
“At the end of the day, we probably didn’t deserve that one because of how many penalties we took,” Sun Devils coach Greg Powers said of his team’s eight penalties. “We found a way to be really resilient there and pop two (goals) on a five-minute major.”
In a game that featured 39 combined penalty minutes, physical play and four lead changes, ASU’s program record of eight consecutive wins ended in a 4-3 overtime loss to North Dakota.
All three Arizona State goals came from its special teams play. Graduate student forward Artem Shlaine cashed in a shorthanded goal to level the score at 1-1 in the second period. Fighting Hawks sophomore goalie Hobie Hedquist came out of his net to play a cleared puck into the left corner and was pressured by Shlaine. Hedquist tried to wrap the puck behind his own net, the Russian intercepted his clearing attempt behind the goal and deposited the puck into the gaping cage.
North Dakota sophomore forward Jayden Perron put his team in front 2-1 with 5:02 left in the second frame. Sun Devil graduate student forward Lukas Sillinger turned over the puck in the slot, leaving a gift for Perron, who made no mistake beating Arizona State senior goalie Luke Pavicich’s high blocker side.
Despite allowing four goals, Pavicich made 32 saves and stopped multiple breakaway and odd-man rush opportunities that came for the Fighting Hawks.
“He was great. Pav was awesome. He was on point. I think he deserved to win the game, and he held us in it. Obviously, a lot of power plays, and he only gave up one, and he never saw it…,” Powers said. “I have no regrets whatsoever in starting him–he was tremendous.”
The turning point for ASU came with 16:14 to play in the third period. Trailing North Dakota 3-1, the Sun Devils got their break when fifth-year forward Louis Jamernik V received a five-minute major penalty for elbowing. Arizona State scored two power-play goals on the game misconduct and match penalty 1:14 apart.
After his first goal was called back due to offsides, Sun Devil junior forward Bennett Schimek’s shot from the slot went off the left post and bounced off the back of Hequist’s skate and into the net. ASU got another lucky bounce soon after when Shlaine’s pass into the goal mouth was tipped in by Fighting Hawks sophomore defenseman Abram Wiebe’s stick and into the net.
Arizona State’s penalty kill held North Dakota’s sixth in the nation’s best power play to one man- advantage goal. The Sun Devils killed off five penalties and blocked 20 shots in the game. ASU was four blocked shots away from tying its shot total in the contest.
“I think our structure was good,” Arizona State senior defenseman Ty Murchison said. “We looked a lot throughout the week on their power play. Worked on it a lot with Dana [Borges]–he’s done a great job with communication and guys being in the right spot.”
With 2:14 to go in the third period, Fighting Hawks coach Brad Berry pulled the goalie to make it a six-on-five advantage. Minutes later, with 28.1 seconds left, North Dakota senior forward Cameron Berg tied the score at 3-3 with several bodies packed in the crease area.
The Sun Devils weren’t able to pull off any “Mullett Magic,” in the extra frame: After Hequist made a post-to-post save on ASU freshman forward Cullen Potter at the left post on a two-on-one rush, the Fighting Hawks capitalized at the other end. Freshman forward Sacha Boisvert made a power move to the net from the bottom of the right-wing face-off circle and slid the puck past Pavicich’s right low-pad side.
Despite the loss, Arizona State earned four out of six points on the weekend. Now, the Sun Devils stand in a three-way tie for first place in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) with North Dakota and the No. 4 Western Michigan Broncos.
“But despite all that, to find a way to be resilient enough to be 30 seconds away from a home sweep in regulation against that team, that was a hell of a team, it speaks to how good our team is,” Powers said missing three injured forwards.
ASU will face the No. 10 St. Cloud State Huskies in a two-game road series on Jan. 18 and 19 at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.
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