The ASU club hockey team gave up a pair of tough losses to the top-ranked Lindenwood Lions last Friday and Saturday night at the Oceanside Ice Arena.
The No. 8 Sun Devils dropped a 4-1 decision on Friday night before losing 3-2 in overtime on Saturday
.
The losses dropped ASU to 21-6-3 for the season with only eight games remaining in the regular season.
On Friday, a few mistakes and some missed opportunities doomed the Devils to a 4-1 loss.
ASU was sluggish to start the first period, but the Sun Devils were kept in the game by the fabulous play of goaltender Mark Schacker, who only allowed one goal with 19 saves in the period.
“We had to turn around [and] chase pucks in our own zone,” freshman defenseman Lee Stone said. “We all need to step up, myself included.”
The Sun Devils were sharper after the first period, but they still gave up a goal towards the end of the second period and another 10 minutes into the third.
ASU managed to pull within two goals with 6:37 left when Lee Stone scored on a wrist shot from the Lindenwood blue line, but the Lions sealed the win with their fourth goal with 2:12 remaining in the third period.
The Sun Devils were outshot in the first game 50 to 21, with Schacker picking up 46 saves
On Saturday, ASU came out with a lot more intensity, but lost in overtime, 3-2.
“Something like that always stings…when you’ve got the No. 1 team in the country down 2-0 on the road,” graduate assistant Kyle Barry said. “The biggest thing is that we’ve proven really how good we are.”
The Sun Devils responded to the loss the night before with heavy hitting and several scoring opportunities early in the game that put pressure on the Lindenwood goaltender Chris Abbott.
That effort was rewarded with a goal by sophomore forward Steve Marino with 11:31 left in the first period.
A penalty-filled second period included a goal by junior forward Pat Lind, who scored with 3.1 seconds left during a scramble in front of the net.
The Sun Devils kept their two-goal lead through most of the third period until Lindenwood scored on a goal by Necco Belanger with 1:33 left in regulation and then Adam Krefski tied it on a goal with only 46.8 seconds left.
Regulation ended with the score tied 2-2, and with 1:57 left in overtime, a tripping penalty was called on Paul Scola of the Sun Devils, giving the Lions a man advantage.
Chad Boeckman gave Lindenwood the victory when scored the game-winning goal with 32.2 seconds left in overtime during the power play.
The Sun Devils have a two-game series coming up against UA at home on Friday at 7:30 and Saturday at 6:15.
