GLENDALE, Ariz. – A fresh Harvard squad playing in their first game of the season gave the young Arizona State Hockey team fits in the first of a two-game series on Friday night at Gila River Arena.
The Crimson (1-0-0), who had been waiting a month longer to start their season due to Ivy League rules, erupted for seven goals to start their 2016-17 season against the Sun Devils (1-6-0).
Head coach Greg Powers credits Harvard, who were runners up in the ECAC a season ago, for their level of play, but says the Devils didn't show the same drive to win.
"It was 100% effort," said Powers. Obviously, they're really talented. They're old and they're experienced. They've had some really good success over the last few years so they have a really good thing going and a good program.
"It's just a matter of will for us. You can't be so fragile when you get scored on or when you get down by one, two goals going into the second. You have to find some energy and they're not doing it. They're just not doing it. We've got an inexperienced group and they're trying to find themselves and how to fight through adversity."
For the first time this season, the Devils were shutout, as Harvard junior goaltender Merrick Madsen – a sixth-round draft pick by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2013 – made 23 saves for the victory.
The Crimson also capitalized on special teams, tallying two shorthanded goals and two power play goals.
"We have to use experiences like tonight to get better and we will," said Powers. "Our guys have to toughen up. They don't want it as badly as these elite teams, and you can just see it in the puck battles and the races to the puck and not staying on the defensive side of the puck. It's all simple stuff that can be fixed. It's just sheer heart and will. Hopefully, they show up tomorrow with a chip on their shoulder because they just got embarrassed."
The Devils return to Oceanside Ice Arena on Saturday, Oct. 29 for game two. The game will be streamed live on Twitter via the Pac-12.
The Crimson (1-0-0), who had been waiting a month longer to start their season due to Ivy League rules, erupted for seven goals to start their 2016-17 season against the Sun Devils (1-6-0).
Head coach Greg Powers credits Harvard, who were runners up in the ECAC a season ago, for their level of play, but says the Devils didn't show the same drive to win.
"It was 100% effort," said Powers. Obviously, they're really talented. They're old and they're experienced. They've had some really good success over the last few years so they have a really good thing going and a good program.
"It's just a matter of will for us. You can't be so fragile when you get scored on or when you get down by one, two goals going into the second. You have to find some energy and they're not doing it. They're just not doing it. We've got an inexperienced group and they're trying to find themselves and how to fight through adversity."
For the first time this season, the Devils were shutout, as Harvard junior goaltender Merrick Madsen – a sixth-round draft pick by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2013 – made 23 saves for the victory.
The Crimson also capitalized on special teams, tallying two shorthanded goals and two power play goals.
"We have to use experiences like tonight to get better and we will," said Powers. "Our guys have to toughen up. They don't want it as badly as these elite teams, and you can just see it in the puck battles and the races to the puck and not staying on the defensive side of the puck. It's all simple stuff that can be fixed. It's just sheer heart and will. Hopefully, they show up tomorrow with a chip on their shoulder because they just got embarrassed."
The Devils return to Oceanside Ice Arena on Saturday, Oct. 29 for game two. The game will be streamed live on Twitter via the Pac-12.