TEMPE, Ariz. – The Eagles landed in Mullett Arena on Friday night and stole the win from the Sun Devils as Boston College (7-5-4) defeated Arizona State (9-11-0), 5-2. Dylan Jackson and Ryan O'Reilly scored for the maroon and gold while goaltender TJ Semptimphelter made 45 saves in his 20th start this season.
ASU won the faceoff battle 33-32 and was the only team to capitalize on a power play opportunity. The ASU special teams held the sixth-ranked power play unit in the country powerless through six man-advantage opportunities. ASU was outshot 50-28 through the three frames.
Boston College came out hot in the first period, scoring the two opening goals within two minutes in the first five minutes of play. ASU answered back with its first goal of the game just 90 seconds later on a power play to take the score within one. Dylan Jackson lit the lamp with assists from Jack Judson and Ty Jackson. The assist increased Judson's point-scoring streak to four straight games. BC scored one more time to conclude the period, 3-1, in the Eagles favor.
Ryan O'Reilly opened the second period with his fifth goal of the season at just 23 seconds into the middle frame. He was assisted by Demetrios Koumontzis and Tim Lovell. The Eagles wouldn't let the Sun Devils get too settled and scored once again to push the score to 4-2.
BC scored one final time with seven minutes left in regulation to seal the Eagles victory, 5-2.
ASU and BC will meet to complete the series tomorrow, Saturday, December 31 at 3 p.m. MST.
GAME NOTES
POSTGAME QUOTES
Head Coach Greg Powers
On if he's surprised by the loss:
"Yeah. We had a really good vibe, and the guys were in a really good place. They had a great week of practice. We just got off to a really crappy start and didn't climb out of it. It's like we were in quicksand. I thought when we cut it to 3-2 there early in the second we were going to get going and we had a few really good shifts after that to tie it up, and just couldn't quite find it. They were the better team tonight. Its that simple. They're the better team tonight. They deserve to win the game, is really a simple way to put it."
On the top line having a rough night:
"Yeah they just were fighting it. They were a little step behind, an d a couple of them just not moving their feet and just never found a flow. They were fighting it all night. They're our go-to guys and nobody knows it more than them. I have every bit of confidence that they'll be a lot better tomorrow."
On potentially mixing up the lineup:
"We've broken them up prior. We really don't have any options. What you saw… we have six guys out that are lineup guys. Thats the danger you have when you're thin and you lose your depth due to injury. When your top line's not going it really thins you out. Tomorrow, again, they're our guys. We've got to lean on them. It was one game. They walk out of here, they're going to wash it and come back out here tomorrow and be ready to go."
On the biggest takeaway to adjust into tomorrow:
"Managing pucks. We talked about managing pucks and we talked about getting in pucks behind them and we didn't do it. We have to execute and stay on script and our guys know it. We did it in stretches tonight. To put it very simply, they were the better team tonight. Tomorrow we have to wake up and we have to be the better team."
On TJ's play tonight:
"I thought he was good. I thought he was fighting it a little bit more than he normally does. They had a lot of second and third chances but I think that the guys in front of him have to fight harder in front to get their block out and avoid those. I think he would tell you he could be a little bit sharper, but that game was by large not on him. He had two big breakaway saves in the first and it could have been a lot worse."
Josh Doan
On what needs to be adjusted in order to win tomorrow:
"I think we have to get pucks up quicker and into their zone. We know that we're a team that we're forechecking hard and turning pucks over. We're a quick team that can create offense off that. We need to bear down off of our chances more. I hit a knob, (Ty) Murch hit a knob. There are time where we just didn't bear down and get the puck in the net and it cost us."
ASU won the faceoff battle 33-32 and was the only team to capitalize on a power play opportunity. The ASU special teams held the sixth-ranked power play unit in the country powerless through six man-advantage opportunities. ASU was outshot 50-28 through the three frames.
Boston College came out hot in the first period, scoring the two opening goals within two minutes in the first five minutes of play. ASU answered back with its first goal of the game just 90 seconds later on a power play to take the score within one. Dylan Jackson lit the lamp with assists from Jack Judson and Ty Jackson. The assist increased Judson's point-scoring streak to four straight games. BC scored one more time to conclude the period, 3-1, in the Eagles favor.
Ryan O'Reilly opened the second period with his fifth goal of the season at just 23 seconds into the middle frame. He was assisted by Demetrios Koumontzis and Tim Lovell. The Eagles wouldn't let the Sun Devils get too settled and scored once again to push the score to 4-2.
BC scored one final time with seven minutes left in regulation to seal the Eagles victory, 5-2.
ASU and BC will meet to complete the series tomorrow, Saturday, December 31 at 3 p.m. MST.
GAME NOTES
- Jack Judson is now on a four-game point scoring streak dating back to Dec. 3 at then-No. 1 Denver.
- TJ Semptimphelter made his 20th consecutive start in net. With 45 saves tonight, Semptimphelter notched four games this season with 40+ saves.
POSTGAME QUOTES
Head Coach Greg Powers
On if he's surprised by the loss:
"Yeah. We had a really good vibe, and the guys were in a really good place. They had a great week of practice. We just got off to a really crappy start and didn't climb out of it. It's like we were in quicksand. I thought when we cut it to 3-2 there early in the second we were going to get going and we had a few really good shifts after that to tie it up, and just couldn't quite find it. They were the better team tonight. Its that simple. They're the better team tonight. They deserve to win the game, is really a simple way to put it."
On the top line having a rough night:
"Yeah they just were fighting it. They were a little step behind, an d a couple of them just not moving their feet and just never found a flow. They were fighting it all night. They're our go-to guys and nobody knows it more than them. I have every bit of confidence that they'll be a lot better tomorrow."
On potentially mixing up the lineup:
"We've broken them up prior. We really don't have any options. What you saw… we have six guys out that are lineup guys. Thats the danger you have when you're thin and you lose your depth due to injury. When your top line's not going it really thins you out. Tomorrow, again, they're our guys. We've got to lean on them. It was one game. They walk out of here, they're going to wash it and come back out here tomorrow and be ready to go."
On the biggest takeaway to adjust into tomorrow:
"Managing pucks. We talked about managing pucks and we talked about getting in pucks behind them and we didn't do it. We have to execute and stay on script and our guys know it. We did it in stretches tonight. To put it very simply, they were the better team tonight. Tomorrow we have to wake up and we have to be the better team."
On TJ's play tonight:
"I thought he was good. I thought he was fighting it a little bit more than he normally does. They had a lot of second and third chances but I think that the guys in front of him have to fight harder in front to get their block out and avoid those. I think he would tell you he could be a little bit sharper, but that game was by large not on him. He had two big breakaway saves in the first and it could have been a lot worse."
Josh Doan
On what needs to be adjusted in order to win tomorrow:
"I think we have to get pucks up quicker and into their zone. We know that we're a team that we're forechecking hard and turning pucks over. We're a quick team that can create offense off that. We need to bear down off of our chances more. I hit a knob, (Ty) Murch hit a knob. There are time where we just didn't bear down and get the puck in the net and it cost us."