ROCHESTER, N.Y. – After a penalty shot led to a 2-2 tie midway through the third period, the No. 16/15 Sun Devils (19-10-1) outworked RIT in the final 10 minutes of the game en route to a 4-2 win and series sweep of the Tigers (12-11-3).
Sophomore defenseman Gvido Jansons picked the perfect time to score his first goal of the season, as freshman Demetrios Koumontzis won the draw back to Jansons who fired a blast through traffic for the eventual game-winning goal with 6:18 remaining.
"It showed the character of our guys to get through that," said head coach Greg Powers. "It seemed like we had the cards stacked against us there in the third. Our guys played great. That's a really good hockey team in a really tough environment, so to come in here and sweep them on the road is a big time sweep for us."
ASU's 19 wins this season matches the number of victories over Division I competition the last three seasons combined.
NCAA goal leader Johnny Walker got the game started for the Sun Devils with a slick move in front of the net before tucking his 22nd of the year behind RIT goaltender Logan Drackett. It was his third-straight game with a point, totaling three goals and two assists in that stretch.
RIT's Darren Brady tied the game just 43 seconds before the first intermission.
After a back-and-forth contest throughout the second period, something finally bounced the Sun Devils' way. Koumontzis backhanded a pass to the front of the net, and like it plagued the Devils just a week ago, ricocheted off an RIT defenseman in front and past Drackett for the 2-1 lead.
ASU held on to that lead halfway through the third period before a penalty shot was awarded to the Tigers. In front, defenseman Jacob Wilson was shoved from behind and just so happened to fall on top of a loose puck in the crease. That was enough for the officials to make the rare call.
RIT's Jake Hamacher got the call, came in slow, and waited for netminder Joey Daccord to make the first move before tucking it behind him for the 2-2 tie with 9:46 remaining in the game.
With the student section and crowd back into the game, the Sun Devils weathered the storm, and three minutes later, Jansons struck. Koumontzis finished with a goal and an assist for his 13th and 14th point of the season.
With 18 seconds left in the game, junior defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk punched a puck along his own half wall that went the length of the ice and into the empty net for the 4-2 lead.
Pasichnuk finished the weekend with three goals and an assist, and has five tallies in his last five games.
Junior forward Brett Gruber picked up an assist on Walker's goal, and is now riding a three-game point streak with a goal and three assists.
The Sun Devils now enjoy another bye week ahead before returning to Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe for the final home series of the season.
Be sure to purchase tickets for the Sun Devils' final home games of the season and Senior Weekend against American International Feb. 15-16 at Oceanside Ice Arena.
Sophomore defenseman Gvido Jansons picked the perfect time to score his first goal of the season, as freshman Demetrios Koumontzis won the draw back to Jansons who fired a blast through traffic for the eventual game-winning goal with 6:18 remaining.
"It showed the character of our guys to get through that," said head coach Greg Powers. "It seemed like we had the cards stacked against us there in the third. Our guys played great. That's a really good hockey team in a really tough environment, so to come in here and sweep them on the road is a big time sweep for us."
ASU's 19 wins this season matches the number of victories over Division I competition the last three seasons combined.
NCAA goal leader Johnny Walker got the game started for the Sun Devils with a slick move in front of the net before tucking his 22nd of the year behind RIT goaltender Logan Drackett. It was his third-straight game with a point, totaling three goals and two assists in that stretch.
RIT's Darren Brady tied the game just 43 seconds before the first intermission.
After a back-and-forth contest throughout the second period, something finally bounced the Sun Devils' way. Koumontzis backhanded a pass to the front of the net, and like it plagued the Devils just a week ago, ricocheted off an RIT defenseman in front and past Drackett for the 2-1 lead.
ASU held on to that lead halfway through the third period before a penalty shot was awarded to the Tigers. In front, defenseman Jacob Wilson was shoved from behind and just so happened to fall on top of a loose puck in the crease. That was enough for the officials to make the rare call.
RIT's Jake Hamacher got the call, came in slow, and waited for netminder Joey Daccord to make the first move before tucking it behind him for the 2-2 tie with 9:46 remaining in the game.
With the student section and crowd back into the game, the Sun Devils weathered the storm, and three minutes later, Jansons struck. Koumontzis finished with a goal and an assist for his 13th and 14th point of the season.
With 18 seconds left in the game, junior defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk punched a puck along his own half wall that went the length of the ice and into the empty net for the 4-2 lead.
Pasichnuk finished the weekend with three goals and an assist, and has five tallies in his last five games.
Junior forward Brett Gruber picked up an assist on Walker's goal, and is now riding a three-game point streak with a goal and three assists.
The Sun Devils now enjoy another bye week ahead before returning to Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe for the final home series of the season.
Be sure to purchase tickets for the Sun Devils' final home games of the season and Senior Weekend against American International Feb. 15-16 at Oceanside Ice Arena.