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ASU hockey's first match against Wisconsin-Eau Claire results in tie

Division III Wisconsin-Eau Claire stayed with the Sun Devils with speed and confidence.

ASU Hockey Game One Matt Kennedy

Freshman forward Matt Kennedy moves the puck in warm-ups minutes before the season opener against former ACHA rival Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015. The Sun Devils defeated the Wildcats 8-1.


ASU hockey fought hard against Division III Wisconsin-Eau Claire Saturday night in Tempe, but the first of a two-game series resulted in draw.

In a high-intensity game, the Blugolds played hard and tight against Division I ASU.

Head coach Greg Powers thought his team played flat.

“We just didn’t match their energy,” he said. "We knew they were going to come out hard, we told our guys if they come out and give 100 percent and we give 75 percent we are going to tie.”

Things looked promising early on.

At 6:18 in the first period, freshman forward Matt Kennedy dished a pass to freshman defenseman Nicholas Gushue. Gushue knifed the puck in the net for the Sun Devils' first goal of the game. That was Gushue's third goal of the season. ASU led 1-0.

The Blugolds ceased the moment while they were on the power play after Kennedy was called for tripping. Junior forward David Henry found junior forward Garret Clemment diving toward the net, with enough space to tip the puck to light the lamp. Clemmnet has been a playmaker all season with 16 assists that play resulted in his eighth goal of the season.

The score remained tied up at 1-1 in the fist period.

Wisconsin-Eau Claire came out with fire in the second period. Sophomore forward Mac Jansen put a shot on freshman goalie Ryland Pashovitz's knee paid, and Jansen put home the rebound to take the 2-1 lead

Blugolds junior forward Patrick Moore was called for tripping at 10:43 in the second period. The Sun Devils didn't convert on the power play.

In the third, ASU Junior right wing Ryan Belonger was on the left side, as he fired a shot that found the top shelf of the net. That goal evened things, 2-2. 

Clemment answered right back for the Bluegolds, giving his team the 3-2 lead with his second goal of the night.

The Sun Devils were not shaken. Freshman right wing Joe Lappin forced a goal through the Blugolds defense to put things at three-all.

The score stayed even for the remanding of the third period, forcing the teams to go into overtime.

The two teams then battled in five-minute overtime. After many turnovers, neither team could find the net. In result, the game was declared a tie and was followed by an exhibition shootout.

“It’s funny how it works,” Powers said. "Those guys feel like the won the Stanley cup, and our guys feel like they lost but it doesn’t matter it’s a tie.”

Both teams will be back in action tomorrow night at Oceanside Ice Arena at 7:30 pm. 


Reach the reporter at chaz.frazier@asu.edu or follow @chaz_frazier on Twitter.

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