Coming off a two game road sweep of Lake Superior State, ASU used their second two-week break from games in the last month to get healthy and prepare for yet another road challenge, this time in upstate New York squaring off against a Clarkson squad that has struggled thus far this season.
The Sun Devils (5-7) fell to Clarkson 3-2 in Potsdam, New York Friday night in the first game of their two-game set.
ASU entered play having only faced one Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference team this season, on the road at No. 15 Quinnipiac, where they were overwhelmed 5-0. Clarkson had lost their last contest 3-0 at the hands of Princeton last Saturday, but the Golden Knights did manage to hold Quinnipiac to a 1-1 tie, their first no decision of the season.
Clarkson entered the game with 13 forwards and only five defenseman, sporting quite the injured list which included senior forwards Pat Megannety and Jeff DiNalo as well as senior defensive captain Paul Geiger and 6-foot-4-inch, 225 pound defensive presence Kevin Tansey.
ASU freshman goaltender Ryland Pashovitz was perfect in the first frame, matching the performance of his equal at the other end of the ice, Greg Lewis; the shots favored Clarkson, 14-7.
The second period was sharp contrast, with both teams skating out of the gate aggressively, vying to break the scoreless deadlock.
The Golden Knights dealt the first blow to the Sun Devils early into the second when sophomore forward Sam Vigneault threw two shots on net to no avail, before the third snuck by Pashovitz and gave Clarkson a 1-0 lead.
ASU spent no time lamenting on the deficit, striking back nearly a minute later as junior forward Ryan Belonger netted a one-timer past the outstretched pad of Lewis.
Before the PA announcer could announce the goal, the Devils tacked on another, taking the lead 2-1 on a rebound goal from freshman forward Jack Rowe before the halfway mark in the game.
Clarkson would get one back (Vigneault’s second of the game) after he drove towards the net and pushed one past Pashovitz to tie the contest with just over six minutes to go in the second, the sophomores fourth goal of the season and ninth point.
By the time the green light illuminated, 60 minutes of hockey turned into a 20 minute contest for the victory, tied at two goals a side. Clarkson overwhelmed the Sun Devils in shots 32-18 through two, but Pashovitz had held firm yet again for ASU.
Midway through the final frame, the Golden Knights broke through with a much-needed goal by sophomore forward Christian Powers, taking the momentum and a 3-2 lead into the final half of the final period.
Vigneault assisted the goal for his third point of the game, and Powers collected his second after assisting an earlier goal.
The Sun Devils pulled Pashovitz in the final minute to make one last push, but the goal would not come and Clarkson secured the victory, starting off their home stand with a much needed win.
Lewis faced a flurry of late shots but finished with 22 saves, Pashovitz stopped 36 for the Sun Devils on the other end.
Clarkson finished the game with zero penalties, meanwhile the Sun Devils only sent one player to the box – defensive freshman Jake Clifford – who served two minutes for a hooking penalty that was successfully killed off.
Game two of the series will take place Saturday evening at Cheel Arena – the puck will drop at 5:00pm Arizona time.
Reach the reporter at csafran@asu.edu and follow @ChrisSafran on Twitter.
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