TEMPE -– On Salute to Service night at Mullett Arena, the No. 20 Arizona State men's ice hockey team returned home for the first time in three weeks and was able to emerge victorious over the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves, 5-2, after a three-goal second period to win their fourth-straight game for the first time since Feb. 7, 2020.
The victory was a team effort as there were five different goal-scorers for the Sun Devils and 10 different players being credited with an assist. ASU is now 6-2 this season when scoring in the first period, 5-0 when scoring more than three goals in a game, and is on a three-game win streak against the Seawolves.
"I think that we can never frown on a 5-2 win and a 5-1 lead after the second period. I would have liked to close out a little stronger." said head coach Greg Powers. "Overall I thought we played pretty well, especially for taking a week off and coming in and getting a 5-2 win."
The win emphasized the importance of staying focused on Saturday's matchup.
"This team (Alaska Anchorage) plays hard, they play to the final buzzer. We knew that they would and we're going to have to be better tomorrow because we know they will be," continued Powers.
Sophomore goaltender TJ Semptimphelter stood strong for the Sun Devils after registering 32 saves and being credited with his sixth win of the season. It's Semptimphelter's seventh game of the season with at least 30 saves.
After a quick start in the first period, both teams battled for opportunities to attack the opposition until about 14 minutes into the first period junior forward Ty Jackson buried the Sun Devils' first goal of the night. Jackson received a beautiful cross from freshman defensemen Blake Dangos on Jackson's second goal of the season.
Just 51 seconds later Jack Jensen netted ASU's second goal of the night to keep the Mullett rocking with assists by Ryan O'Reilly and Jack Judson. The Sun Devils would be ahead in the shot advantage after the first, 13-8.
The Seawolves cut the ASU lead in half with 8:42 left in the second period. Two minutes later the Sun Devils bounced back when junior forward Dylan Jackson swiftly swatted ASU's third goal of the night. Forty-two seconds later, Scottsdale native and captain Josh Doan snuck in his third goal of the season, his first in four games to extend the Sun Devil lead to 4-1.
Three minutes later, ASU picked up where it left off on the attack with Jack Judson putting away his second goal of the season with assists from Doan and Robert Mastrosimone to make it 5-1 before heading into the second intermission. It was the Sun Devils' third time this season scoring three goals in a single period, and the third-straight game Mastrosimone and Doan were credited with the assists. It marked the first shorthanded goal for the team since Dec. 18, 2021.
About halfway through the third period, Alaska Anchorage netted their second goal of the game despite the goal being reviewed for goaltender interference. The play was upheld with 10:34 left to play in the game.
Battling back-and-forth for the remainder of the third period, ASU was able to hold serve and secure their third straight win at Mullett Arena.
UP NEXT: The Sun Devils will look to grab their second straight sweep at home tomorrow against Alaska Anchorage at 5 p.m. MST. Coverage can be seen on ASU Live Stream and heard on the home of Sun Devil Hockey, Fox Sports 910 (KGME)
Arizona State Head Coach Greg Powers
On the completeness of the game and dominating from start to finish:
"I think that we can never frown on a 5-2 win and a 5-1 lead after the second period. I would have liked to close out a little stronger. They made a nice play on their goal but I still think there was goal interference to be very honest but I'll go to my grave knowing that it was. I thought that for a week off that was what you expect. You expect a little bit of a lack of execution in some areas. The crispness wasn't quite there in transition. We didn't play as fast as we wanted to, so we will be a lot better in those areas tomorrow. Overall I thought we played pretty well, especially for taking a week off and coming in and getting a 5-2 win." On TJ Semptimphelter tonight:
"Yes, he was solid. I thought for the first time all season he was fighting it a little bit in the first and then he got through it which was good to see and then he settled in and was himself. He was really good."
*Is the power play one of those areas where you want to see a little more execution?*
"I thought on the power play, Matthew Kopperud just missed the net in the first period and he buries that all the time. He had a lot of really good looks and it got us a big goal going up 4-1 and we knew when we went up 4-1 that it was probably game over so at the end of the day they got us a goal. We won the special teams battle which is always a huge measurement and metric that you want to hit and we got it done."
The victory was a team effort as there were five different goal-scorers for the Sun Devils and 10 different players being credited with an assist. ASU is now 6-2 this season when scoring in the first period, 5-0 when scoring more than three goals in a game, and is on a three-game win streak against the Seawolves.
"I think that we can never frown on a 5-2 win and a 5-1 lead after the second period. I would have liked to close out a little stronger." said head coach Greg Powers. "Overall I thought we played pretty well, especially for taking a week off and coming in and getting a 5-2 win."
The win emphasized the importance of staying focused on Saturday's matchup.
"This team (Alaska Anchorage) plays hard, they play to the final buzzer. We knew that they would and we're going to have to be better tomorrow because we know they will be," continued Powers.
Sophomore goaltender TJ Semptimphelter stood strong for the Sun Devils after registering 32 saves and being credited with his sixth win of the season. It's Semptimphelter's seventh game of the season with at least 30 saves.
After a quick start in the first period, both teams battled for opportunities to attack the opposition until about 14 minutes into the first period junior forward Ty Jackson buried the Sun Devils' first goal of the night. Jackson received a beautiful cross from freshman defensemen Blake Dangos on Jackson's second goal of the season.
Just 51 seconds later Jack Jensen netted ASU's second goal of the night to keep the Mullett rocking with assists by Ryan O'Reilly and Jack Judson. The Sun Devils would be ahead in the shot advantage after the first, 13-8.
no time wasted getting the second one ??@Jack_Jensen12 /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/soF8eQe79w
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) November 12, 2022
The Seawolves cut the ASU lead in half with 8:42 left in the second period. Two minutes later the Sun Devils bounced back when junior forward Dylan Jackson swiftly swatted ASU's third goal of the night. Forty-two seconds later, Scottsdale native and captain Josh Doan snuck in his third goal of the season, his first in four games to extend the Sun Devil lead to 4-1.
these twins are unstoppable ??#BeTheTradition /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/KpO8ADWGPC
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) November 12, 2022
Three minutes later, ASU picked up where it left off on the attack with Jack Judson putting away his second goal of the season with assists from Doan and Robert Mastrosimone to make it 5-1 before heading into the second intermission. It was the Sun Devils' third time this season scoring three goals in a single period, and the third-straight game Mastrosimone and Doan were credited with the assists. It marked the first shorthanded goal for the team since Dec. 18, 2021.
About halfway through the third period, Alaska Anchorage netted their second goal of the game despite the goal being reviewed for goaltender interference. The play was upheld with 10:34 left to play in the game.
Battling back-and-forth for the remainder of the third period, ASU was able to hold serve and secure their third straight win at Mullett Arena.
UP NEXT: The Sun Devils will look to grab their second straight sweep at home tomorrow against Alaska Anchorage at 5 p.m. MST. Coverage can be seen on ASU Live Stream and heard on the home of Sun Devil Hockey, Fox Sports 910 (KGME)
Arizona State Head Coach Greg Powers
On the completeness of the game and dominating from start to finish:
"I think that we can never frown on a 5-2 win and a 5-1 lead after the second period. I would have liked to close out a little stronger. They made a nice play on their goal but I still think there was goal interference to be very honest but I'll go to my grave knowing that it was. I thought that for a week off that was what you expect. You expect a little bit of a lack of execution in some areas. The crispness wasn't quite there in transition. We didn't play as fast as we wanted to, so we will be a lot better in those areas tomorrow. Overall I thought we played pretty well, especially for taking a week off and coming in and getting a 5-2 win." On TJ Semptimphelter tonight:
"Yes, he was solid. I thought for the first time all season he was fighting it a little bit in the first and then he got through it which was good to see and then he settled in and was himself. He was really good."
*Is the power play one of those areas where you want to see a little more execution?*
"I thought on the power play, Matthew Kopperud just missed the net in the first period and he buries that all the time. He had a lot of really good looks and it got us a big goal going up 4-1 and we knew when we went up 4-1 that it was probably game over so at the end of the day they got us a goal. We won the special teams battle which is always a huge measurement and metric that you want to hit and we got it done."