The game program being sold in front of the arena might have been titled as the senior issue, but it was ASU’s younger players that made an impression.
On Friday night the No. 8 ASU club hockey team welcomed the unranked Villanova Wildcats to Tempe.The night began with ASU coach Greg Powers giving the younger members of the team a starting opportunity. Sophomore goalie Kyle Dietriech got the start, along with many unfamiliar faces on the ice.
From the opening puck drop Villanova looked outmatched.
Senior forward Pat Lind got things started for the Sun Devils after he slapped in a goal from a pass from fellow senior forward Paul Scola.
“[Lind] is a leader,” sophomore forward Patrick Rogan said. “That big goal by him started off the game right for us.”
After two ASU penalties, the Wildcats tied up the game on a power-play goal.
Within 20 seconds, Rogan quickly answered with his own goal. After dodging three Wildcat defenders, he quickly put the puck past the goalie to put ASU up, 2-1.
All season long one of ASU’s strengths has been their combination of older and younger players. This showed at the start of the second period when Lind engineered an excellent pass to freshman forward Colin Hekle, who finished with the goal.
“You got eight seniors that have been through the rigors of four years playing at this program and then we got a lot of really good young players,” Powers said. “It’s good for the future, and it’s good to know that the older guys are taking care of business.”
Rogan scored again for ASU, barely slipping it under the Villanova goalie’s leg.
The Wildcats then answered with their second goal of the night, but that would be the last time they would score against Dietriech.
“[Dietriech] did well,” Powers said. “I think he would want that second goal back, but he made a really big save in the second period right after to make up for it. He did as good as he could possibly do.”
A couple minutes later, ASU junior forward Dan Styrna rebounded a blocked shot to answer the Wildcat goal. At the end of the second period, junior defenseman Marc Wilhite scored off of a Rogan assist to put the Sun Devils up 6-2.
“I felt really good tonight, I think I have gotten over the sickness I had,” Rogan said. “I thought both my line mates played awesome and we really clicked tonight.”
The Sun Devils scored six goals in the third period with senior forward Joe Schweiger adding a hat trick. The final score was 12-2 Sun Devils.
Saturday was an emotional night as the ASU seniors were honored at the beginning of the game.
Powers came out to center ice to address his players who will be leaving at the end of the season.
“It’s going to be a lot different without them,” said Powers. “They’re good kids, they’re good leaders and they’re good hockey players. They’ve helped transform our program to what it is now and we will never forget them, that’s for sure.”
Saturday started off with senior Mark Shacker in net and an all-senior starting lineup.
Two minutes in, Scola notched the first goal, with an assist coming from fellow senior Mark Chadwick.
Chadwick’s assist kicked off a career night.
A few minutes into the second period, he scored his first goal.
After the game, he talked about what he would miss most.
“The camaraderie, the boys in the locker room, hanging out outside the rink, the road trips and just being with guys is a special thing,” Chadwick said.
With nine minutes left in the second period, Lind scored for the Sun Devils. Shortly after, sophomore defenseman Brian Parson scored on an impressive slap shot almost in the neutral zone to give ASU a six-goal lead.
But like Friday night, the Sun Devils kept their foot on the throat of the Wildcats and scored six goals in the third period.
Chadwick capped off his impressive night with a hat trick after scoring two goals in the third period.
“I have never gotten a hat trick in four years, so it’s obviously special,” Chadwick said. “It’s one of the better games that I have had, so it’s a good memory.”
Schacker played an impressive game, only allowing two goals in the third period. The Sun Devils won the game 13-2 and dominated the Wildcats in the series, outscoring them 25-4.
The Sun Devils’ next game is Friday, Feb. 12, against College of the Canyons at Oceanside Arena in Tempe.
Reach the reporter at edmund.hubbard@asu.edu
