ASU hockey head coach Greg Powers began last season having to decide which of three capable goaltenders would be given the nod in net for his team.
Following the departure of the program's first NHL player, goaltender Joey Daccord, Powers found himself deciding between the likes of returning sophomore Evan DeBrouwer, graduate transfer Max Prawdzik, and incoming freshman Justin Robbins.
But eventually, DeBrouwer cemented himself as the prime starter for ASU, appearing in 34 games and posting 19 wins, a .919 save percentage and 2.52 goals against average.
Enter Cole Brady one season later, a 6-foot-5 goaltender from Ontario who was one of two draft picks in the incoming recruiting class for ASU.
"Cole is a special talent," Powers said of Brady in March. "He's a big and very cerebral goaltender. (He) is ready to come to ASU and really add to our goaltending group with Evan and Justin ... we're thrilled he's finally coming to Tempe."
The Sun Devils faced off against a talented Michigan team in its season-opening series with DeBrouwer starting as the goaltender in game one.
DeBrouwer, along with the rest of his teammates, struggled, allowing six goals in the first two periods. Thus, Brady was put between the pipes to start the third and receive his introduction to college hockey.
"When I went in, it wasn't the best circumstance," Brady said. "I just tried to go in and try and have fun. You only play your first college hockey game once so I just tried to enjoy the experience, soak it in, do as best as I could, and come out of the game (with) a learning experience."
Brady stopped 10 of 12 shots and was handed the start in net for game two the following day.
"Cole was tremendous," Powers said following the series. "The hope was to try and give (Brady) a game this weekend. I wanted to get Cole in fresh to start a period and it was huge. It settled him down, and he was smooth and confident. He is going to be really good for us."
Though ASU was swept by Michigan with a 3-0 loss, Brady impressed Coach Powers and the rest of the team.
"Cole's first start in Michigan was phenomenal," senior forward Willie Knierim said. "We didn't give him any help offensively, but I thought it was really good ... (making 44 saves) is no small thing for a young freshman in his first start. He's got that mindset where, as a goalie, you kind of need it, but he's so locked in and focused in where he does his job."
Though his first experiences in a Sun Devil uniform ended in losses, Brady did not lose faith or confidence.
"I think it went well," Brady said of the second game. "Obviously, we didn't get the win, but I was happy with how it went."
He and the rest of his team knew that the wins would come.
After losing and tying games in a series against Michigan State, ASU swept Wisconsin with 8-5 and 3-1 wins, which saw Brady and DeBrouwer each pick up a win.
"Everyone is happy with how we are playing," Brady said. "We didn't get the start we wanted... as a team, we all know that we are better than we played the first week, and I think we showed it over the next couple. Up until this point now, we have been playing really good hockey."
Brady enters the fifth series of the season against Penn State with a .906 save percentage and 3.62 goals against average. Brady has proven he can compete and — just as importantly — win, even if he is in the middle of his first collegiate hockey season.
"(I just want to) get better every single game (and) practice," Brady said. "This is a big opportunity for us, we're very lucky to be playing right now, so I just want to make the most of it and continuously better myself every day."
Reach the reporters at aklatsky@asu.edu and follow @averyklatsky on Twitter.
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