"We tied them tonight and they're a very good Division team,” head coach Greg Powers said. “It’s an established program that has an established culture that has a lot of old guys.”
ASU started off the game with a bang when Nicholas Gushue blasted a one-time rocked from the point to give his team a 1-0 lead. The Blugolds battled back and took a 2-1 lead going into the third.
Then the Sun Devils rose to the occasion to make sure they went home with at least a tie. Ryan Belonger tied it just 1:45 into the third period and when Wisconsin-Eau Claire took the lead again, it took two minutes for Joe Lappin to tie it again. On Lappin’s goal, Jordan Mastres recorded an assist to become the first player to break the 20-point barrier.
It is the first tie in the history of Sun Devil Hockey.
“The good news is we have another crack at them tomorrow to win the series,” Powers said.
ASU and Wisconsin-Eau Claire return to Oceanside for Game 2 on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. MT. It will be the Sun Devils’ final NCAA game of the inaugural season.