After handing out a thorough beat down the day before, the No. 3 ASU club hockey team found itself on the wrong side of a low-scoring game to split the series with No. 6 Iowa State this weekend.
The two games were eerily similar to this past weekend against No. 19 Central Oklahoma, in which the team came out flat in game one and lost but ultimately rebounded in the second game to earn the split.
The energy level seemed to be in play here again. After winning 7-2 on Friday the Sun Devils (12-2-1) were unable to produce much offensively and had to swallow a 2-1 loss.
“They just wanted it more than us,” coach Greg Powers said. “They were a completely different team then we played on Friday and we were a inreadibly different team than we were on Friday and it resulted in a loss.”
After seeing teams that like to fly around the ice and take chances the past two weeks, the Cyclones (12-2-2) presented a different threat with a well-choreographed and systematic approach.
Still, for ASU a sweep was expected, especially after what looked like a casual win on Friday in a game where Powers said the team “finally saw how good it could be.”
That talent level dropped off in the second game as ASU continues to have problems staying motivated against teams it should beat.
“I hate to blame youth and inexperience but at the end of the day we have a really young and inexperienced team,” Powers said. “Trying to get these guys to realize that just showing up and going through the motions isn’t going to be good enough.”
The defense for the Sun Devils was good enough, as it showed improvement after letting in six goals to Central Oklahoma.
Instead of making risky passes, junior Ryan Clark and other defensemen took it upon themselves to carry the puck out of the defensive third.
“Once we get the puck out of the zone our forwards can take it away and do the job for us,” Clark said. “It’s real key to get the puck out of the zone and not let them keep it in our zone.”
Clark even helped his own cause in the first game. He recorded his second goal in four games.
What was noticeably absent on the offensive end was a goal from the team’s top line, in particular sophomore captain Colin Hekle.
Hekle had been leading the team in goals and points before the series started with 12 and 16 respectively, but now junior Dan Styrna has taken ahold of the points total with two goals and an assist this weekend.
Junior Patrick Rogan has also stepped up late, and having that depth is only going to help. Star freshman Ben Findlay said he expects to be back this week though he is still day-to-day. If that holds it would be perfect timing as the team will be playing four games in four days this week on the road.
“It’s actually something that I don’t think we have ever done,” Powers said. “We will have to be smart about how we lay everything out from a lineup standpoint to keep the guys fresh.”
Reach the reporter at jjmckelv@asu.edu
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