Coach Greg Powers recruited 14 players to become Sun Devils this winter.
Among them, he has to be pleased with the production of freshman forward Sean Murphy.
The final rosters were decided during the maroon and gold scrimmage Thursday night and Murphy turned in a performance worthy of not only a spot on the roster, but on the first line. He helped lift his gold team to a 6-5 victory.
“(Murphy) is everything we thought he’d be and probably more,” Powers said. “He’s going to have a great career here. I think I’d be an idiot to change anything with that line.”
Murphy finished with two goals, and neither came cheap. On the first, he snatched the puck from a defender, skated across the crease and wristed it in.
"I didn't have have much time to make a move ... and try to get it up," Murphy said. "I didn't get it up, but it still went in."
In the second period, Murphy fired a one-timer from the slot past the goalie for his second goal of the game.
Murphy wasn't the only player to find the net twice as fellow freshman Zack Holstrom also managed to score two goals.
Holstrom has impressed in camp and continued to do so Thursday, showing off some incredible stick-work.
Adding to the preseason theme of newcomer dominance, freshman defenseman Drew Newmeyer and freshmen forwards Ryan Ostertag, Jaime Cotnoir and Tommy Cooney all scored goals.
Newmeyer would have had two, but the shot was deflected and he was awarded an assist.
Last year’s leading scorer junior forwardKale Dolinski also added two goals and was the third Sun Devil to record a multi-goal game.
Goalie battle still undecided
Powers said he was still undecided on who will be starting in net come Sept. 20 as both offenses combined to score 11 goals off Sun Devil goalies in the scrimmage.“It’s probably a process that’s going to go a good month into the season before we figure (the starting goalie) out,” Powers said. “Out of the four, I would say (freshman) Lucas (Felbel) played better than anyone. He played very, very well.”
Felbel is in competition with incumbent senior Joe D’Elia, among others. D’Elia was a third team All-American last season.
Tempers flare late
After scuffling all game, senior forward Danny McAuliffe and sophomore defenseman Jacob Weisman dropped the gloves. Referees intervened, and were able to separate the two, but not before punches were thrown.Powers said that he was pleased with the fire shown by his players.
“They’re fighting for a job,” he said. “I wanted to see intensity and I liked it.”
The season begins Sept. 20 at Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe when ASU hosts San Diego State.
Reach the reporter at justin.emerson@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @J15Emerson
