TEMPE — Short-handed and looking for a split, Arizona State (12-11-1, 5-6-1 NCHC) squeaked out a 1-0 victory against the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks (12-8-2, 3-7-2 NCHC) on Saturday Night at Mullett Arena.
On Friday night, it took ASU 57 minutes to find the back of the net; tonight, the game’s only goal came with 8:46 remaining in the third period. Sophomore forward Noah Powell finished off a beautiful tic-tac-toe passing play with his linemates, sophomore Logan Morrell and freshman Sam Alfano.
“We can play a skillful game and a gritty game, and I think tonight was a perfect display of both,” Powell said.
Arizona State came into Saturday’s contest already wounded, with freshman defenseman Lincoln Kuehne, freshman forward Jack Beck and senior forward Johnny Waldron all unavailable due to injury. The Sun Devils were also without co-captain and their leading scorer, senior forward Bennett Schimek, who left Friday’s game after falling into the boards awkwardly.
The message from coach Greg Powers was simple. Find a way to win ugly.
The Sun Devils didn’t get off to a pretty start as junior forward Kyle Smolen took a hooking penalty four and a half minutes into the game. The RedHawks peppered freshman goaltender Samuel Urban early, outshooting the Sun Devils 9-1.
Following a successful kill, Morrell took an untimely roughing penalty during a post-whistle exchange. On the man advantage, Miami (Ohio) sophomore defenseman Michael Quinn one-timed a puck towards the net that took a deflection off Smolen and into the back of the net.
It seemed as though the RedHawks grabbed a 1-0 lead, but Powers challenged the play for a missed stoppage of play. After a lengthy delay, the goal was overturned. ASU took another penalty later in the period but was once again able to remain perfect on the kill.
“I was disappointed with the penalties we took in the first, but we settled in and played to win,” Powers said.
When the puck dropped to begin the second period, both teams dug in, and it quickly became a defensive battle. This was the fourth time these teams had met, and it showed. Quick anticipation, hard forechecking pressure, and two goaltenders who were unwilling to let a puck find its way to the back of the net.
Despite key injuries to the ASU forward group, its third line of Powell, Morrell and Alfano remained intact. They combined for nine shots on goal and were creating chances all night.
“Tonight was their best game in a while. They played with the identity we needed them to play with in order to be successful,” Powers said.
Late in the third period, the Sun Devils leaned on Urban between the pipes, and he was up to the task, stopping 37 en route to his first collegiate shutout and earning first star honors.
“The guys helped me a lot tonight with blocking shots and clearing screens,” Urban said. “I would say this shutout is for the whole team, not just me.”
After scoring 12 goals last weekend in its third straight Desert Hockey Classic victory, the offense took a complete 180, as ASU managed just two goals against the RedHawks.
“If you told me we gave up one goal in regulation both nights, I would have thought for sure it was a six-point weekend,” Powers said. “We’ll take the four points.”
The Sun Devils are entering a perfectly timed bye week before hosting No. 4 North Dakota on Jan. 23 and 24 at Mullett Arena. The series will feature Fighting Hawks senior goalie Gibson Homer returning to Tempe for the first time after spending three years as a Sun Devil.
Leave a Reply