TEMPE, Ariz. – A back and forth contest did not favor Sun Devil Hockey in the Last Frontier on Friday night, as the Alaska Nanooks (6-5-0) snapped ASU's (5-4-0) four-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory at the Carlson Center.
After a 1-0 lead through 20 minutes, a polar opposite middle frame transpired with Fairbanks rattling off three unanswered goals for the 3-1 lead entering the 3rd period. Despite getting two halfway through the period just over a minute apart, ASU forfeited the game-winning goal with three minutes remaining.
"That's a tough loss after coming back to tie it like we did and think you're going to get 'em," said head coach Greg Powers. "Then we give up a stinker to give them back the lead. At the end of the day, I don't think we deserved to win the game. Over 60 minutes, that team outplayed us. We have to reset and come back tomorrow and get a win."
The Sun Devils were handed a 6-on-4 man advantage in the final two minutes with a chance to tie the game again, but the couple chances were stuffed by Alaska goaltender Anton Martinsson -- who has won three of his last four starts.
Despite the loss, sophomore goaltender Evan DeBrouwer was stellar between the pipes, making three spectacular saves to keep the game close. That included a post-to-post stuff on a shorthanded 2-on-1 rush by the Nanooks with the game tied at 3.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
ADDITIONAL QUOTE(S):
"What I did like was our push in the third was great. Our guys never gave up. There was never a doubt on our bench we were going to win that game, but it just didn't go our way. I think it was tough for our defense to adjust to an Olympic sheet tonight, especially the first two periods. We have to manage the puck way, way better than we did tonight. If we do, I like our chances. We have a good team and we can bounce back." -Coach Powers on adjustments for Saturday…
After a 1-0 lead through 20 minutes, a polar opposite middle frame transpired with Fairbanks rattling off three unanswered goals for the 3-1 lead entering the 3rd period. Despite getting two halfway through the period just over a minute apart, ASU forfeited the game-winning goal with three minutes remaining.
"That's a tough loss after coming back to tie it like we did and think you're going to get 'em," said head coach Greg Powers. "Then we give up a stinker to give them back the lead. At the end of the day, I don't think we deserved to win the game. Over 60 minutes, that team outplayed us. We have to reset and come back tomorrow and get a win."
The Sun Devils were handed a 6-on-4 man advantage in the final two minutes with a chance to tie the game again, but the couple chances were stuffed by Alaska goaltender Anton Martinsson -- who has won three of his last four starts.
Despite the loss, sophomore goaltender Evan DeBrouwer was stellar between the pipes, making three spectacular saves to keep the game close. That included a post-to-post stuff on a shorthanded 2-on-1 rush by the Nanooks with the game tied at 3.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- After a back and forth first period, and with the intermission approaching, freshman defenseman Jacob Semik took a drop pass from sophomore forward Jordan Sandhu and rocketed home his first collegiate goal for the 1-0 lead.
- The second period was drastically different, as Alaska's Filip Svensson netted back-to-back goals in a matter of 10 minutes for the 2-1 lead. The first one happened to be a big rebound that launched out to the left circle and found Svensson's stick for a shot through traffic. The second was a shot that beat DeBrouwer 5-hole on an odd-man rush.
- Just over a minute later, the Nanooks kept laying it on as a costly Sun Devil turnover in the zone found the stick of Caleb Hite in front.
- The third period swung back in ASU's favor, as nine minutes into the frame, a double tip occurred on a shot from Jacob Wilson. Junior forward James Sanchez got a piece of the shot at the left faceoff dot and sophomore PJ Marrocco got a final piece of it in front to cut the Alaska lead in half. It was Marrocco's second goal in as many games and his fourth point in the last three.
- Less than a minute later, with the Sun Devils on the power play, a shot from co-captain Brinson Pasichnuk was tipped in front by Sanchez and junior forward Johnny Walker punched the loose puck under Anton Martinsson to tie the game at three.
- The Sun Devils continued to apply pressure and develop chances, but Alaska again capitalized on a breakdown in the ASU zone. Captain Kylar Hope toe dragged a Sun Devil before beating DeBrouwer inside the far post for the 4-3 lead with 3:26 remaining.
- Sophomore PJ Marrocco is on a three-game point streak with four points during that stretch, including a two-game goal streak.
- Junior forward Johnny Walker has three points in his last two games with two goals and an assist. He's now tied for third in the NCAA in points with 13.
- Walker's linemate and center James Sanchez is also knotted up with him at 13 points, and is on a five-game point streak with one goal and seven assists.
- Senior defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk is riding a four-game point streak of his own with four assists.
- Junior d-man Jacob Wilson has five points in his last three games with two goals and three assists.
- The loss breaks a four-game winning streak by ASU and Evan DeBrouwer.
- ASU's penalty kill was perfect for the second-straight game, killing their last nine.
- Tonight's loss was the first time since Nov. 23, 2018 that the Sun Devils scored three or more goals and lost the game.
- After the loss, ASU is now 3-1 against Fairbanks all-time.
ADDITIONAL QUOTE(S):
"What I did like was our push in the third was great. Our guys never gave up. There was never a doubt on our bench we were going to win that game, but it just didn't go our way. I think it was tough for our defense to adjust to an Olympic sheet tonight, especially the first two periods. We have to manage the puck way, way better than we did tonight. If we do, I like our chances. We have a good team and we can bounce back." -Coach Powers on adjustments for Saturday…