As an overflowing crowd in Oceanside Ice Arena cheered, ASU junior goaltender Joey Daccord left his net and freshman forward Demetrios Koumontzis skated onto the ice in the waning moments of Friday nights game.
ASU (2-1) challenge Ohio State (1-0) throughout the game, putting themselves in position to tie late in the third period. However, Koumontzis couldn’t spark a last-second game-tying goal against top-ranked Ohio State. The game ended 3-2 with a Sun Devil loss, but there was still plenty to be proud of for the freshman and a young Sun Devil team.
“(I am) really, really proud of our guys, for how we pushed in the third,” ASU head coach Greg Powers said. “I thought that was our best period. (There was) a lot of push back, a lot of pride playing on our home ice, but I think what I am most proud of is how upset our guys are right now.
“We believe we can beat anybody, and they expect to win every night, and that is the difference in this team. It stinks because we believe we can win any time we take the ice.”
Sun Devil junior defenseman and captain Brinson Pasichnuk said the intensity and passion shifted heavily toward ASU in the decisive period. As the final seconds winded down in the second frame, the Sun Devils started to steal the momentum.
ASU sophomore forward Johnny Walker had the puck bounce his way, as he deflected a pass from freshman forward Jordan Sandhu to convert his second goal in the game with 2.1 seconds left in the period to cut the ASU deficit to 3-2.
Pasichnuk said ASU played its game and just outworked the Buckeyes in the third period.
“It is pretty special when we can dominate a period against the No. 1-ranked team in the country,” Pasichnuk said. “It just shows you what the Sun Devil hockey organization actually has inside that locker room and that there is so many incredible things to come with this program.”
Earlier in the game, No. 1 Ohio State jumped out to a lead, scoring on an unassisted Freddy Gerard late in the first period. Nonetheless, the Sun Devils didn’t change their attitude throughout the game.
Walker capitalized on a power play, scoring a goal in his eighth consecutive game, to level the score only 50 seconds into the second period. Ohio State took advantage with its power plays as well, as senior forward Dakota Joshua and junior forward Carson Meyer each scored.
Meyer made the Buckeyes’ lead 3-1 in the second period, scoring just 16 seconds after a disallowed goal, but Powers said he wasn’t worried at the time.
“There is no point in that game — and certainly we have all the respect in the world for Ohio State, they are a tremendous program — where anyone on our bench didn’t think we could win,” Powers said.
ASU is set to play Ohio State again tonight at 7:05 in Tempe.
To split the series, Powers said limiting penalties and power plays for the Buckeyes will be key, and staying discipline and playing ASU hockey at home will be pivotal to a better outcome.
“We had it right where we wanted it,” Powers said. “(We were) at home, down a goal going into the third (period) against the top team in the country. I am proud of our guys for that. Tomorrow, we have to execute a little bit better on both ends of the ice and we will see what happens.”
Reach the reporter at nahiatt@asu.edu or follow @NATE_HIATT on Twitter.
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