LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Like the billboard signs lining Las Vegas Boulevard, Sun Devil Hockey lit up the scoreboard in the first round of the Ice Vegas Invitational at T-Mobile Arena on Friday night, setting a new program record for goals scored in a game with a 7-3 victory over Northern Michigan.
The Sun Devils (5-12-4) jumped out to a three-goal lead, and cemented the victory with four goals in the third period against the Wildcats (11-10-2), who had received votes in the USCHO poll and are ranked No. 18 in the Pairwise ranking.
"It was a great win for our program over a really good team," said head coach Greg Powers. "It translated tonight. I honestly think we played better last Saturday than we did tonight, but when you can get a couple power-play goals like we did tonight, that's what happens. We had good, solid goaltending. The guys were committed to finishing tonight."
Less than four minutes into the start of the game, the Sun Devils capitalized on an early turnover. Redshirt senior David Norris created a turnover on the forecheck, and fed redshirt junior Dylan Hollman for the 1-0 lead. It was Hollman's first goal since Nov. 3.
Over the next three minutes, ASU buried another two, as junior forward Anthony Croston redirected two shots on goal for his first two-goal game since at Quinnipiac on Jan. 28, 2017.
Late in the second, Northern Michigan showed some life. James Vermeulen fired a shot from the top of the slot through traffic that somehow found its way passed sophomore goaltender Joey Daccord. The deficit was at its smallest of the night.
The Sun Devils entered the third period with a majority of a 5-on-3 man advantage remaining to start the final frame. With just one second left on the 5-on-3, ASU struck again to extend their lead back to three. Redshirt junior Louie Rowe, who hadn't scored since game one of the season against UMass on Oct. 6, stationed himself perfectly in front of the net and jammed in the loose puck.
"It all started with that big goal by Louie," said Powers. "Our first unit goes out and almost a full two-minute 5-on-3 and they didn't do so well. You could feel them to start get confidence and momentum, and some big shot blocks. We put our two's out there for about 15 seconds of 5-on-3, and they popped one. That was huge. That is what winning is all about – production and execution top to bottom in your lineup. We had that tonight."
Over a three-minute span early in the third period, graduate Gage Hough found the net for the first and second time of his Sun Devil career. On both occasions, Hough beat Mathias Israelsson with quick wrist shots – one being shortside upper corner, while the second beat the NMU goaltender at the far post. It was the first game Hough has multi-goals since Jan. 16, 2016 as a member of UMass-Lowell.
Despite Norhtern Michigan striking with two of their own in the second half of the third period, ASU sophomore defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk buried one of his own for his third point of the game and the dagger.
Daccord again stood tall between the pipes, making 40 saves on the night. The team in front of him also capitalized on special teams, finishing 2-for-4 on the power-play and 5-for-5 on the penalty kill.
The Sun Devils now play in their first tournament championship as a Division I program, as they face Michigan Tech at 8:30 p.m. (PT)/ 9:30 p.m. (AZ) on Flohockey.tv.
The Sun Devils (5-12-4) jumped out to a three-goal lead, and cemented the victory with four goals in the third period against the Wildcats (11-10-2), who had received votes in the USCHO poll and are ranked No. 18 in the Pairwise ranking.
"It was a great win for our program over a really good team," said head coach Greg Powers. "It translated tonight. I honestly think we played better last Saturday than we did tonight, but when you can get a couple power-play goals like we did tonight, that's what happens. We had good, solid goaltending. The guys were committed to finishing tonight."
Less than four minutes into the start of the game, the Sun Devils capitalized on an early turnover. Redshirt senior David Norris created a turnover on the forecheck, and fed redshirt junior Dylan Hollman for the 1-0 lead. It was Hollman's first goal since Nov. 3.
Over the next three minutes, ASU buried another two, as junior forward Anthony Croston redirected two shots on goal for his first two-goal game since at Quinnipiac on Jan. 28, 2017.
Late in the second, Northern Michigan showed some life. James Vermeulen fired a shot from the top of the slot through traffic that somehow found its way passed sophomore goaltender Joey Daccord. The deficit was at its smallest of the night.
The Sun Devils entered the third period with a majority of a 5-on-3 man advantage remaining to start the final frame. With just one second left on the 5-on-3, ASU struck again to extend their lead back to three. Redshirt junior Louie Rowe, who hadn't scored since game one of the season against UMass on Oct. 6, stationed himself perfectly in front of the net and jammed in the loose puck.
"It all started with that big goal by Louie," said Powers. "Our first unit goes out and almost a full two-minute 5-on-3 and they didn't do so well. You could feel them to start get confidence and momentum, and some big shot blocks. We put our two's out there for about 15 seconds of 5-on-3, and they popped one. That was huge. That is what winning is all about – production and execution top to bottom in your lineup. We had that tonight."
Over a three-minute span early in the third period, graduate Gage Hough found the net for the first and second time of his Sun Devil career. On both occasions, Hough beat Mathias Israelsson with quick wrist shots – one being shortside upper corner, while the second beat the NMU goaltender at the far post. It was the first game Hough has multi-goals since Jan. 16, 2016 as a member of UMass-Lowell.
Despite Norhtern Michigan striking with two of their own in the second half of the third period, ASU sophomore defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk buried one of his own for his third point of the game and the dagger.
Daccord again stood tall between the pipes, making 40 saves on the night. The team in front of him also capitalized on special teams, finishing 2-for-4 on the power-play and 5-for-5 on the penalty kill.
The Sun Devils now play in their first tournament championship as a Division I program, as they face Michigan Tech at 8:30 p.m. (PT)/ 9:30 p.m. (AZ) on Flohockey.tv.