TEMPE, Ariz. -- For the second-straight series, Sun Devil Hockey managed a multi-goal rally to complete a weekend sweep as ASU finished RIT with a 5-3 victory Saturday night.
Junior forward Willie Knierim posted a two-goal, three-point night as his line motored the Sun Devils (15-8-3) throughout the weekend. Linemate and senior captain Tyler Busch also had a three-point night with three assists.
"We know we are at the point in the year that we need to collect wins to get to the tournament and it's one at a time," said head coach Greg Powers. "We've won four in a row and five of six so the guys are playing well, but I still think we can be even better."
HOW IT HAPPENED:
GAME FACTS:
Junior forward Willie Knierim posted a two-goal, three-point night as his line motored the Sun Devils (15-8-3) throughout the weekend. Linemate and senior captain Tyler Busch also had a three-point night with three assists.
"We know we are at the point in the year that we need to collect wins to get to the tournament and it's one at a time," said head coach Greg Powers. "We've won four in a row and five of six so the guys are playing well, but I still think we can be even better."
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Seven minutes into the first period, RIT capitalized on the first of two breakaways in the first period, as Kobe Walker got behind the Sun Devil defensemen for a quick move and backhander over the stick of Max Prawdzik.
- Less than three minutes later, Knierim was dealt the puck in the right circle and fired a shot that trickled in past RIT goaltender Logan Drackett to tie the game 1-1.
- RIT responded back with the second breakdown, as a Sun Devil d-man jumped up and the Tigers' Shawn Cameron made a similar move in front to beat Prawdzik.
- The Tigers continued to press on the rush as they took their biggest and final lead of the game early in the second period, as Cameron again found the back of the net.
- Knierim cut RIT's lead in half with his second goal of the night as defenseman Gvido Jansons took a shot from the blue line and Knierim tipped it past Drackett.
- Five minutes later, on an offensive rush, forward PJ Marrocco received a pass in between the circles for a quick wrister that went off the back bar to tie the game 3-3.
- In the final period, forward Tyler Busch found defenseman Josh Maniscalco crashing between the circles for a redirection into the back of the net for the first and last lead of the night.
- With 10 minutes remaining, RIT took an interference penalty that put the Sun Devils on the power play. Forward James Sanchez took a pass at the top of the right circle before firing a shot with eyes past Drackett and the 5-3 lead.
GAME FACTS:
- Willie Knierim recorded his second multi-point game of the year (also: 1g, 1a on Oct. 18, 2019 @ Air Force) and first career three-point game.
- The third line combination of Tyler Busch, Willie Knierim and Brett Gruber posted three goals, 10 assists and a +18 rating over the weekend.
- ASU moves to 8-2-2 at home this season and 8-2-1 at Oceanside Ice Arena. They are 17-2-1 at Oceanside dating back to Oct. 26, 2018.
- The Sun Devils are 10-1-1 in their last 12 games against the Atlantic Hockey Association with a +27 differential in that time.
- Tyler Busch tallied three assists for his first three-point game since Feb. 16, 2019 vs. American International (2g, 1a).
- With a goal and assist tonight, Joshua Maniscalco matches a career-high with a four-game point streak (also: Dec. 7-15, 2018).
- Brinson Pasichnuk has recorded multi-point efforts in four of his last six games (2g, 6a) and has eight on the season overall.
- Goaltender Evan DeBrouwer came in relief and stopped all 14 shots he saw for his 12th win of the season.
- ASU's four-game winning streak matches their season long set from Oct. 18-Nov. 2, 2019.
- The home sweep marked the Devils' second of the season and first since topping then ninth-ranked Quinnipiac on Nov. 1-2, 2019.
- ASU's 11 goals this weekend were the most in a series this season and the most since scoring 13 vs. Nebraska-Omaha on Oct. 26-27, 2018.
- Brett Gruber earned a +4 rating and recorded two more assists, good for four on the series and the first back-to-back multi-point efforts of his career.
- The Sun Devils are averaging 4.0 goals/game over their last seven games (28 goals in total), while allowing just 2.5 goals/game in that time (18 goals).