Sun Devil Hockey split its season-opening series against the Minutemen, as UMass pulled ahead in the third period and secured the win with an empty-net goal and the 4-2 victory on Saturday night at Oceanside Ice Arena.
"At the end of the day, we did not deserve to win that game," said head coach Greg Powers. "UMass out played us. They played harder and they got rewarded. That's how this game works."
A tick-for-tack game in the first and second period kept things interesting at Oceanside, with the teams going into each intermission all tied up.
UMass tallied the first goal of the game six minutes in, but ASU immediately answered back. Local freshman Johnny Walker collected his first collegiate goal, with assists from junior defenseman Joey Raats and redshirt junior Dylan Hollman midway through the first period, tying the game 1-1.
Over twenty minutes of scoreless play passed before UMass put their second tally on the board. The Sun Devil captain's line of redshirt junior Louie Rowe, junior Anthony Croston, and Hollman each reeled in another point tonight. Twelve minutes into the second period, Croston beat UMass goaltender Matt Murray on a backhander off the back bar to tie the game, 2-2.
The night ended with two goals from UMass in the third period, one on an empty net with less than a minute left of playing time.
"We tell our guys if you score a power play goal then you have a really good chance to win and if you score a couple, you're winning the game and tonight we just did not have it going," said Powers.
Both the Sun Devils and the Minutemen finished 0-for-4 on the power play. Overall, ASU's special teams finished strong on the penalty kill, staying perfect through the first two games with nine straight-kills.
The Devils hit the road for a month, starting with a trip to Colorado Springs to take on current No. 17 Air Force on Oct. 13-14.
ASU returns home on Nov. 3-4 against Alabama-Huntsville. Tickets can be purchased here.
"At the end of the day, we did not deserve to win that game," said head coach Greg Powers. "UMass out played us. They played harder and they got rewarded. That's how this game works."
A tick-for-tack game in the first and second period kept things interesting at Oceanside, with the teams going into each intermission all tied up.
UMass tallied the first goal of the game six minutes in, but ASU immediately answered back. Local freshman Johnny Walker collected his first collegiate goal, with assists from junior defenseman Joey Raats and redshirt junior Dylan Hollman midway through the first period, tying the game 1-1.
Over twenty minutes of scoreless play passed before UMass put their second tally on the board. The Sun Devil captain's line of redshirt junior Louie Rowe, junior Anthony Croston, and Hollman each reeled in another point tonight. Twelve minutes into the second period, Croston beat UMass goaltender Matt Murray on a backhander off the back bar to tie the game, 2-2.
The night ended with two goals from UMass in the third period, one on an empty net with less than a minute left of playing time.
"We tell our guys if you score a power play goal then you have a really good chance to win and if you score a couple, you're winning the game and tonight we just did not have it going," said Powers.
Both the Sun Devils and the Minutemen finished 0-for-4 on the power play. Overall, ASU's special teams finished strong on the penalty kill, staying perfect through the first two games with nine straight-kills.
The Devils hit the road for a month, starting with a trip to Colorado Springs to take on current No. 17 Air Force on Oct. 13-14.
ASU returns home on Nov. 3-4 against Alabama-Huntsville. Tickets can be purchased here.