TEMPE, Ariz. – There's no place like home, and Sun Devil Hockey played like it on Friday night in a 5-3 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at Oceanside Ice Arena.
In their first game back from a 10-day road trip, Arizona State (3-11-0) played a full 60 minutes and outshot their opponent for the first time this season.
"It was a really good win," said head coach Greg Powers. "We're proud of the guys. We felt we outplayed them for 60 minutes, and I know they got a couple bounces that you start to wonder when the puck luck is going against you like that with the first and third goal. But Pashovitz was really good in the third -- he shut it down, had some really big saves, and we got a big power play goal to go ahead. It was a really good team win."
Like several instances this season, the Devils showed they can play from behind, as they rallied to tie the game on two occasions.
After the Engineers (2-12-1) struck first halfway through the first period on a power play tally, freshman defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk knotted it up with his fourth goal of the season on a perfect pass from redshirt junior David Norris on a 3-on-2 rush. It is Brinson's third goal in his last five games.
Before the end of the first frame, RPI would strike again on a backdoor pass to Brady Wiffen for the tap in behind ASU sophomore goaltender Ryland Pashovitz. The Devils would enter the first intermission with a 13-7 shot advantage.
Sophomore goaltender Chase Perry would do everything he could to keep the Engineers in the game, standing on his head for much of the first and second periods for a total of 21 saves.
However, the Devils would get to him in the second and third, as sophomore defenseman Nicholas Gushue started the frenzy. Again, Norris played his part by forcing a turnover in the neutral zone before shoveling the puck up to Gushue, who drove through the right circle before firing a quick shot passed Perry to tie it at two.
Three minutes later, redshirt sophomore and Sun Devil captain Dylan Hollman netted his second goal of the season – both coming in ASU victories – for the first lead of the game.
Down the stretch, the star of the game made his impact. Like Hollman, redshirt junior Wade Murphy hadn't tallied a goal since the Devils' first victory at home in mid-October. He would follow in his teammates footsteps, burying a one-timer on the power play – ASU's seventh of the season – for the eventual game-winning goal. The goal is Murphy's first game-winner of his college career.
Overall, ASU finished 1-for-3 on the power play with eight shots on goal.
For good measure, graduate senior Robbie Baillargeon gave the Devils a two-goal cushion with a tic-tac-toe play on an odd-man rush with sophomore Jordan Masters and Murphy.
Pashovitz earned his first victory of the season -- and his fifth of his college career – with 23 saves on 26 shots.
"These first 13 games were really tough, and that's a good team and program too," said Powers. "But those games prepared our guys for this stretch that we're going to go on before the Christmas break and hopefully translate this into some good wins."
"It's a stepping stone in the right direction," said Murphy. "This weekend is big for us and our confidence. I think it's a great win for us."
ASU will pursue their first series sweep of the season on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Oceanside Ice Arena.
In their first game back from a 10-day road trip, Arizona State (3-11-0) played a full 60 minutes and outshot their opponent for the first time this season.
"It was a really good win," said head coach Greg Powers. "We're proud of the guys. We felt we outplayed them for 60 minutes, and I know they got a couple bounces that you start to wonder when the puck luck is going against you like that with the first and third goal. But Pashovitz was really good in the third -- he shut it down, had some really big saves, and we got a big power play goal to go ahead. It was a really good team win."
Like several instances this season, the Devils showed they can play from behind, as they rallied to tie the game on two occasions.
After the Engineers (2-12-1) struck first halfway through the first period on a power play tally, freshman defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk knotted it up with his fourth goal of the season on a perfect pass from redshirt junior David Norris on a 3-on-2 rush. It is Brinson's third goal in his last five games.
Before the end of the first frame, RPI would strike again on a backdoor pass to Brady Wiffen for the tap in behind ASU sophomore goaltender Ryland Pashovitz. The Devils would enter the first intermission with a 13-7 shot advantage.
Sophomore goaltender Chase Perry would do everything he could to keep the Engineers in the game, standing on his head for much of the first and second periods for a total of 21 saves.
However, the Devils would get to him in the second and third, as sophomore defenseman Nicholas Gushue started the frenzy. Again, Norris played his part by forcing a turnover in the neutral zone before shoveling the puck up to Gushue, who drove through the right circle before firing a quick shot passed Perry to tie it at two.
Three minutes later, redshirt sophomore and Sun Devil captain Dylan Hollman netted his second goal of the season – both coming in ASU victories – for the first lead of the game.
Down the stretch, the star of the game made his impact. Like Hollman, redshirt junior Wade Murphy hadn't tallied a goal since the Devils' first victory at home in mid-October. He would follow in his teammates footsteps, burying a one-timer on the power play – ASU's seventh of the season – for the eventual game-winning goal. The goal is Murphy's first game-winner of his college career.
Overall, ASU finished 1-for-3 on the power play with eight shots on goal.
For good measure, graduate senior Robbie Baillargeon gave the Devils a two-goal cushion with a tic-tac-toe play on an odd-man rush with sophomore Jordan Masters and Murphy.
Pashovitz earned his first victory of the season -- and his fifth of his college career – with 23 saves on 26 shots.
"These first 13 games were really tough, and that's a good team and program too," said Powers. "But those games prepared our guys for this stretch that we're going to go on before the Christmas break and hopefully translate this into some good wins."
"It's a stepping stone in the right direction," said Murphy. "This weekend is big for us and our confidence. I think it's a great win for us."
ASU will pursue their first series sweep of the season on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Oceanside Ice Arena.