Sun Devil hockey knocks off No. 2 Denver

TEMPE, Ariz. — Sun Devil hockey welcomed in future NCHC conference foe, the Denver Pioneers, for a two-game set this weekend.

Coming into this weekend, ASU sat at No. 16 in the polls while the Pioneers sat at No. 2 receiving, five first-place votes additionally.

Last weekend the Devils took care of first-year program Stonehill winning both games. As for Denver, they took care of their conference opponent Colorado College on both Friday and Saturday.

Tonight’s matchup between the two will be the first of many as the Devils move into the NCHC next season and will be playing a home and home against Denver from now on.

The first period

As they have so many times this season, the Pioneers came out firing. Through the first five minutes of the game, ASU was already being outshot 5-1.

Luckily for ASU, goalie TJ Semptemphelter was on his game early and knew how significant it was to keep the Pioneers off the board early.

After a rough start, the Devils bounced back with a couple of nice chances of their own, including some odd-man rushes deep into the Pioneer zone.

Continuing the hot goalie play was Pioneer goalie Freddie Halyk. Halyk proved that he was also on his game tonight making sprawling save after sprawling save early in the game.

Sun Devil hockey strikes first

The first team to blink would be the Pioneers as freshman forward Kieran Cebrian took an interference and ASU would go on the power play. Throughout the season thus far the ASU power play has been a mixed bag, some games good and others bad.

It seemed like tonight would be the night the power play for the Devils would click as it got off to a riveting start.

Forward Ty Jackson received a great pass from Lukas Sillinger and ripped it into the back of the net. The power play would strike and give the Devils a 1-0 lead 7:55 into the first period.

Throughout the course of the first period, it was very physical on both sides. Three more penalties were called in the first period alone, two on ASU and one on Denver. Despite each team having a slew of power play chances it was the penalty kill that shone for both sides.

Each power play successfully killed off the remaining penalties and the Pioneers’ penalty kill even went one better. After a costly turnover in the neutral zone, Carter King grabbed the puck and put it past Semptemphelter to tie the game at one apiece.

Heading into the locker room it was 1-1 after a tightly contested period.

The second period

Hopefully, you caught your breath after the first period because the second was just as fun. Right off the rip in the second period, ASU’s Tyler Gratton took one for a breakaway toward the Pioneer net but sailed it wide. After the immediate breakaway, the Pioneers retook possession of the puck and began to assert their dominance.

Despite the Pioneers dominating inside of ASU territory Semptemphelter kept the dream alive.

While the play between the pipes was truly incredible, it was only a matter of time before the Pioneers would score. Puck management was a huge emphasis for the Devils this week in practice and that came back to haunt them tonight.

Pioneer defenseman Zeev Buium got in on the scoring himself putting into the back of the net, giving the Pioneers their first lead of the night. 60 seconds later, the Devils responded with one of their own to grab back the momentum they lost.

Once again, Dylan Jackson ripped one into the back of the net to tie the game at two apiece. As soon as it seemed as though the Pioneers were taking over, the Devils said not so fast. That would be the story of the night.

Penalty play

As it did in the first period, the physical side of both teams came to play drawing more penalties. Each team had a penalty, ASU for tripping and Denver for cross-checking, but only one team capitalized on their opportunities.

The Devils’ penalty kill was fantastic against a great Pioneer power play blocking shots, getting into passing lanes, and being physical. Almost all game long the Devils PK shut down any chance the Pioneers had on special teams.

While the Pioneer power play may have not been great, their penalty kill continued to shine. For the second time in the game the Pioneers took advantage of a sloppy ASU turnover and netted a shorthanded goal, this one courtesy of Carter King.

Despite giving up yet another shorthanded goal, this did not deter the Devils. 19 seconds later, the Devils responded with a power play goal courtesy of Dylan Jackson yet again. Anytime Denver grabbed momentum, the Sun Devils stormed back.

Just like that it was 3-3 and the second period came to an end; a riveting second period.

Third Period

To this point, it seems like every other line is another goal coming off another goal. 1:55 into the third period, you guessed it, a goal was scored and this time it was for Denver. Jared Wright lights the lamp and gives the Pioneers an early third-period lead.

But, as the Devils have done all night, they responded almost immediately.

26 seconds later, not as quick of a response as the last one, Lukas Sillinger tied the game now at 4-4. It did not seem like it could happen, but the game slowed down and both teams played very carefully knowing the next goal could win it.

In those couple of minutes, the Pioneers began to play very physically, especially around the ASU net. The Devil defenders did not seem to enjoy the Pioneer players getting near the net and decided to take a stand against it.

Multiple scrums broke out on separate occasions in the middle of the third period. As those wound down, the scoring began to pick up yet again.

Halfway through the third period, the Pioneers retook the lead when Miko Matikka put one into the back of the net giving the Pioneers a lead in the third.

Dylan Jackson nets a hat trick for Sun Devil hockey

Trailing with only a half period to go in the game the Devils began to press a little more. The pressure on the Pioneers was not something that they had seen all game long as it was a relatively open game to that point.

The ASU forecheck, which had been nonexistent tonight, began to show itself when it mattered most. Pressure from the Devils defense forced a turnover, and the offense did the rest.

Dylan Jackson netted his third goal of the game, a hat trick, and tied the game at five apiece with only eight minutes left.

Despite a few good chances from both sides, neither could capitalize and the game would head to overtime. We got free hockey at Mullett Arena folks.

Overtime

Overtime in hockey is something special. Three-on-three hockey for five minutes, sudden death. It doesn’t get better than this.

As overtime played out early on both teams kept possession of the puck on their own end of the ice. A game of chicken and mouse would be the best way to describe how the first two minutes of overtime went.

As both teams felt each other out the game began to open for the Devils.

About halfway through the five-minute overtime, the Devils had an odd-man rush by Dylan Jackson sent one wide.

ASU got the puck and delivered a beautiful pass to Tyler Gratton… and he didn’t miss this shot. Gratton rips one into the back of the net and the Devils upset #2 Denver at home.

The sold-out crowd erupted at the sight of the Mullett Magic.

Postgame

Sun Devil hockey improved to 7-1-1 in the early season and 7-0 at home on the season.

After the game, head coach Greg Powers talked about how big this win was.

Powers: “It’s such a good program win because that team is so good…. So well coached, so deep, just a fun team to play against and a fun team to be on the ice with.”

Dylan Jackson: “It felt really good, we can’t get too high when we win, we got to play again tomorrow.”

Gratton: “I was in the right place at the right time and was able to finish it.”

Sun Devil hockey will look to finish with a sweep of #2 Denver when they face off at Mullett once again on Saturday night with a 5:00 pm puck drop.

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