TEMPE – The Arizona State Sun Devils (3-6-1) split their weekend series with the No. 20 Colorado College Tigers (6-3-1) after a 3-1 loss on Saturday.
Salute to Service Night at Mullett Arena brought a rowdy and supportive crowd of nearly 5,000 for the veterans in attendance, as well as the players on the ice coming off a shootout victory on Friday night. However, Tigers senior goaltender Kaidan Mbereko turned the page from Game 1 against the Sun Devils, posting a .972 save percentage in the win.
Unlike Friday night’s first period, both teams were scoreless after 20 minutes.
Sun Devil freshman defenseman Richard Baran committed his team’s first of three penalties in the second period. Freshman goalie Samuel Urban supported in the penalty kill until a second tripping penalty occurred moments later.
Senior defenseman Tucker Ness’s first penalty of the season proved costly, as Tigers freshman forward and St. Louis Blues prospect Tomas Mrsic was able to tally his second goal of the season with 20 seconds left on the power play.
“It was probably 50/50 if there was goal interference,” Sun Devil coach Greg Powers said. “I’ve seen officials make that call before, but I respect the call.”
Within 80 seconds, Colorado College sophomore defenseman and Detroit Red Wings prospect Fischer Scott recorded his first goal of the season to tilt the ice, extending his team’s lead to 2-0.
As the Tigers began driving toward the crease once again, a fierce exchange of shoves and saves finished with a whistle, as Urban was left temporarily motionless. He was able to stand under his own power and continue in the contest.
As the clock wound down in the second period, Sun Devil freshman forward Jack Beck tallied his third goal of the season, injecting life into Mullett Arena just before the Zambonis could make their third trip around the ice.
“He’s a really smart guy,” Sun Devil sophomore forward and Calgary Flames prospect Cullen Potter said about Beck. “He’s really easy to play with and that makes it really fun.”
The third period began quietly as Arizona State and Colorado College traded penalty kills. In between power plays, a potential game-tying goal from senior forward Cruz Lucius was ruled no goal because he deflected with his glove into the net.
Powers was unable to challenge the ruling of a no-goal because he had no timeouts in his holster.
“It would’ve been nice to have a timeout to challenge,” Powers said. “But I don’t regret it, I think there’s officials that would’ve called that back.”
The third period continued to be just as quiet until Powers pulled Urban with two minutes remaining in the game. Colorado College sophomore forward Gavin Lindberg scored an empty-netter goal, cementing the Tigers’ victory with a final score of 3-1.
“You look at our record, six losses and all six we’ve had the goalie pulled,” Powers said. “It’s really frustrating because we know it could easily be flipped.”
Arizona State will continue NCHC play in Grand Forks against the University of North Dakota next week.
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