In game one of a two game set, the Sun Devils were once again out-shot and out-skated versus an established Division I opponent, this time falling on the road to the Wisconsin Badgers, 5-1 Friday night in Madison.
A fast-paced first period presented opportunities for both teams, but Sun Devil freshman goalie Ryland Pashovitz weathered the storm, making 16 saves on his end; his counterpart on the other end, freshman Badger goalie Matt Jurusik, saved all seven shots he faced.
Following the scoreless first, ASU came out of the locker room firing, spending only 0:12 before scoring the first of the game and freshman forward Jordan Masters' first of the season, assisted by freshman forwards Joe Lappin and Matt Kennedy. A collection of sticks meshed together in front of the Badger net and Masters was able to poke it through to give the Sun Devils a 1-0 lead and all the momentum going forward.
The assist by Kennedy was his first point of his NCAA career, and the goal by Masters' tied him for the team lead in points (8) along with freshman defenseman Joey Raats.
That momentum, however, would quickly turn, and never find its way back to the Sun Devils' direction. The Badgers scored just 48 seconds following Masters' goal to tie it up, junior forward Grant Besse forced Pashovitz into his first mistake of the night, and the score was 1-1.
Badgers sophomore forward Ryan Wagner scored to break the tie 5:38 into the 2nd period, and then added another goal on a power play just two minutes later, his second and third goals of the year.
In just seven and a half minutes, the Sun Devils went from a 1-0 lead to a 3-1 slump, and Wisconsin would not look back. Wagner missed his chance at a natural hat trick by about six inches with a close shot that just missed in the period.
Pashovitz closed out the second period with 33 saves, letting four goals behind him including a penalty shot by sophomore forward Cameron Hughes that beat the freshman goaltender up high, it was Hughes' first goal of the season and the first Wisconsin penalty shot scored since Feb. 1, 2014.
The Badgers would add one more power play goal in the final frame, finishing the game with 56 shots dwarfing the Sun Devils' 19 looks. Wisconsin finished 2-6 on the power play while ASU failed to convert on either of their three man advantages during the game.
Pashovitz collected his second 50+ save performance for the Sun Devils this season, ultimately losing both games, the first to Quinnipiac on Oct. 15 and the second Friday night in Madison, the Badgers' first win of the 2015 season.
ASU will play one more against the Badgers on Saturday evening to complete their two-game stand before traveling to Michigan for another road set against Lake Superior State; the puck drops Saturday at 5 p.m. Arizona time.
Reach the reporter at csafran@asu.edu and follow @ChrisSafran on Twitter.
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