The deciding factor in the season-series between the ASU men's ice hockey club and its intrastate rival, the Arizona Icecats, hasn't been which team had the home-ice advantage, the intensity of the players or the physical play that usually emerges when bitter rivals take the ice.
A rather fundamental, methodical tactic of the game has been crucial in the series and has separated the winners from the losers.
Once again, special teams dictated the advantages in the games. And once again, the Ice Devils were on the losing end, dropping two contests in Tucson by losing 5-4 in overtime Thursday and 6-5 the following night.
"It was the most important thing in the whole series," coach Todd Bisson said of the role of special teams, explaining that Arizona capitalized on its chances while ASU failed to do the same.
"It's definitely something we need to continue to work on."
In Thursday night's game, the Ice Devils' offense stole the show at the beginning, scoring four goals in the first two periods and establishing a 4-2 lead heading into the final frame. But ASU took five penalties in the third period, which gave Arizona an opportunity to sneak back into the game.
The Icecats seized that chance near the end of regulation by scoring two goals in the final four minutes of play and sent the game to overtime.
Arizona continued to ride the wave of momentum, sealing the victory about halfway through overtime.
"We just didn't get the job done," Bisson said. "We played 55 good minutes."
The disappointment from the loss carried over to Friday night's game.
Arizona scored four unanswered goals in the game before ASU came to life in the second period, notching four of its own to tie the game for the start of the third period.
Arizona took the lead in the third, but ASU responded with a goal by senior Ryan Clark, his second of the night. The comeback prowess ended there though, with Arizona securing the game-winner just 47 seconds later.
ASU was called for six penalties in the game, and Arizona made it pay by scoring two power play goals in the match.
"[Arizona] played well and played to their strengths," Bisson said.
Despite the sweep, ASU was not a pushover in the series.
"We definitely had our chances to win it," Bisson said. But ASU's performance on offense, defense and in net was not "top-notch" during the games, he said.
The losses extend ASU's losing streak to four games, a streak that began when the home-at-home series against the Icecats started Jan. 25.
With only four games remaining on the schedule and a record of 9-16-0-2, the focus of the team has shifted from possible postseason berth to finishing the season on a positive note.
"Our focus should just be on this weekend," Bisson said, referring to the team's matches against Rhode Island.
Concluding the season with a few wins and giving the seniors a nice farewell is where the team's mindset is, he added.
Reach the reporter at: sarah.mclellan@asu.edu.
