DENVER, Colo – The Mile High City knocked the wind out of Arizona State ice hockey's (8-9-0) sails on Saturday night with a 5-2 loss to No. 1/2 University of Denver (12-4-0) at Magness Arena. After a tight game on Friday that ended with a controversial call, the Sun Devils looked to answer back to close out the series but were unable to topple the reigning national champions.
Ryan O'Reilly scored the introductory goal for ASU seven minutes into the third period to prevent the Sun Devils from suffering a scoreless night against the Pioneers. ASU has scored at least one goal in all but one of 17 games so far this season. O'Reilly was assisted by Jack Judson and Benji Eckerle. O'Reilly later tallied an assist on ASU's second goal of the night to complete his first two point night of the season.
Teddy Lagerback scored ASU's second goal with assists from O'Reilly and Ethan Szmagaj at 15:35 in the third period. For Szmagaj, it was his first point scored since the second week of the season when he notched two assists at Bemidji State.
ASU's penalty kill squad stifled all seven power play chances for the Pioneers, including killing off a five-minute major in the second period. ASU boasts a top-25 penalty kill with 82.1 percent success rate through 17 games.
The two wins by Denver become the third sweep suffered by ASU this season - all from road trips: at No. 5 Minnesota Duluth, at Clarkson, at No. 1 Denver. The Sun Devils have never been swept at Mullett Arena.
Despite going down, 2-0, by the end of the first period, the game remained in reach for the Sun Devils. ASU has come back from being down 2-0, including in the win against then-No. 6 North Dakota. But that would not be tonight's fate.
After holding the Pioneers scoreless for most of the second period, ASU allowed DU to score two goals within the last two minutes to extend the Pioneer lead to 4-0 going into the final frame.
Senior goaltender Ben Kraws entered the game at the start of the third period and made 12 saves in his first appearance this season. TJ Semptimphelter ended the night with 26 saves through forty minutes for a combined 79 saves over the weekend at DU.
Point scoring streaks held by Ryan Alexander and Tim Lovell ended tonight at the hands of the reigning national champions. Lovell was on a five-game point-scoring streak and Alexander enjoyed three consecutive games with one goal scored.
ASU continues life on the road with a trip to the east coast next weekend to faceoff against New Hampshire on December 9-10 in Durham, New Hampshire.
Ryan O'Reilly scored the introductory goal for ASU seven minutes into the third period to prevent the Sun Devils from suffering a scoreless night against the Pioneers. ASU has scored at least one goal in all but one of 17 games so far this season. O'Reilly was assisted by Jack Judson and Benji Eckerle. O'Reilly later tallied an assist on ASU's second goal of the night to complete his first two point night of the season.
TIP IT ON BACK ??@oreilly_ryan /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/5oZhGe5hNd
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) December 4, 2022
Teddy Lagerback scored ASU's second goal with assists from O'Reilly and Ethan Szmagaj at 15:35 in the third period. For Szmagaj, it was his first point scored since the second week of the season when he notched two assists at Bemidji State.
ASU's penalty kill squad stifled all seven power play chances for the Pioneers, including killing off a five-minute major in the second period. ASU boasts a top-25 penalty kill with 82.1 percent success rate through 17 games.
WHAT A SHOWSTOPPER ?? @tsemp35 /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/Du61pmcaxT
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) December 4, 2022
The two wins by Denver become the third sweep suffered by ASU this season - all from road trips: at No. 5 Minnesota Duluth, at Clarkson, at No. 1 Denver. The Sun Devils have never been swept at Mullett Arena.
Despite going down, 2-0, by the end of the first period, the game remained in reach for the Sun Devils. ASU has come back from being down 2-0, including in the win against then-No. 6 North Dakota. But that would not be tonight's fate.
After holding the Pioneers scoreless for most of the second period, ASU allowed DU to score two goals within the last two minutes to extend the Pioneer lead to 4-0 going into the final frame.
Senior goaltender Ben Kraws entered the game at the start of the third period and made 12 saves in his first appearance this season. TJ Semptimphelter ended the night with 26 saves through forty minutes for a combined 79 saves over the weekend at DU.
ENTER THE KRAW DADDY ?? pic.twitter.com/Sv33Tps7gL
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) December 4, 2022
Point scoring streaks held by Ryan Alexander and Tim Lovell ended tonight at the hands of the reigning national champions. Lovell was on a five-game point-scoring streak and Alexander enjoyed three consecutive games with one goal scored.
ASU continues life on the road with a trip to the east coast next weekend to faceoff against New Hampshire on December 9-10 in Durham, New Hampshire.