Forward Chris Burkemper takes a shot at the goal. ASU had a close match with Liberty University at Oceanside Arena on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014. ASU won 6-4. (Photo by Mario Mendez)It wasn’t pretty, but it was quite satisfying.
No. 1 ASU (11-1) simply found a way to win on Thursday night, overcoming a poor start and gritty play to beat No. 9 Liberty (6-3-3) 6-4 at Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe.
ASU came out and played some of their worst hockey of the season in the opening period, as they lacked fluidity in the attacking zone and made several key turnovers in their own zone.
Liberty capitalized on a poor turnover, needing less than a minute to get on the board after senior forward Lindsay LeBlanc intercepted a pass in the ASU zone and found a wide open Ryley Egan to score just 52 seconds into the game.
The Sun Devils were undisciplined in the early stages of the game, going to the box twice on silly penalties that halted any building momentum.
The Flames capitalized on a slashing penalty by sophomore forward Eric Rivard, as they would score again with 39 seconds to go in the opening period. Freshman forward Colt Steele started the play, finding freshman forward Luke Hannon, who redirected it as LeBlanc finished to give Liberty the 2-0 lead at the end of the period.
ASU coach Greg Powers told the team at the end of the period to just wipe the slate clean, start over and not come out flat like they did in the first.
“It just looked like, for whatever reason, that we weren’t ready to play and they were,” he said. “All you can do after playing a period that poorly is erase it and go out.”
ASU would bounce back to open the second period, as sophomore forward Chris Burkemper took a pass from sophomore forward Tommy Cooney and converted to put the Sun Devils on the board with 18:15 left in the second period.
Both teams would combine for a massive scoring outburst midway through the period, as four total goals would be scored over three minutes of game time.
ASU scored first off of a power play, as Burkemper knocked in the rebound off of the Cooney shot that tied the game at two goals apiece.
It was Burkemper’s second of the night, as he appeared to be locked in from the start of the second period.
“I was just a little pissed off about the first period,” Burkemper said. “We came out flat, just like coach (Powers) said. We were in the locker room in between the first and the second (period), and our leaders just stepped up and said 'it’s going to be okay.'”
Just a minute later Liberty responded, as junior forward Danny Logan forced the puck past sophomore goaltender Robert Levin to give the Flames a 3-2 lead.
ASU defenders Mak Barden and Jordan Young chase Liberty offense behind ASU's goal. ASU won a close match with Liberty University at Oceanside Arena on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014. ASU won 6-4. (Photo by Mario Mendez)The Sun Devil offense took command from there, as freshman defenseman Ed McGovern slapped one home after picking up the loose puck from sophomore forward Ryan Belonger and senior forward Liam Norris to tie the game. A minute later sophomore forward Sean Murphy forced his way into the attacking zone to score and give ASU the 4-3 lead, their first of the night.
There was a scary moment late in the period, as Burkemper appeared to take an elbow straight to the jaw from a Liberty player near the ASU blue line. Burkemper went down, and skated off with some assistance from teammates while appearing to turn back and yell at some of the Flames players. Burkemper would later return to the game.
“I got blindsided with an elbow to the head, and I went down,” Burkemper said. “Honestly, I was kind of out of it there for a little bit. I had to go to the locker room and regroup, and started feeling a little better so I came out even harder.”
Despite generating a flurry of chances in the opening ten minutes of the third period, ASU was unable to capitalize and put the game away. Liberty took advantage, drawing a lucky bounce as junior forward Kyle Garcia’s shot deflected off of McGovern and into the next to tie the game.
Forward Ryan Belonger vies for the puck with a Liberty defender. ASU had a close match with Liberty University at Oceanside Arena on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014. ASU won 6-4. (Photo by Mario Mendez)“That was a goal that you give up and you see teams really crumble, but we didn’t,” Powers said. “I’m proud of our guys and the way they played those last two periods.”
ASU retook the lead just a minute later as Norris took a beautiful drop pass from freshman forward Connor Mailey and smashed it in for the 5-4 lead.
In the closing seconds Rivard, who already had three penalties in the game, got his payback in slapping in the put away goal that gave ASU the final 6-4 tally. After scoring the goal, Rivard had some choice words for the Flames bench.
“The penalties just are what they are, and you can’t really control that,” Rivard said. “That last shift, I just kept working hard and it end up working out.”
Powers was extremely frustrated with the officiating, as Rivard received six penalties in the last two times that ASU had this officiating crew.
“(Eric Rivard) is not a guy who takes a lot of penalties,” Powers said. “The last two games that (those officials) called our games, he has six (penalties). So he has it out for him, and none of those were penalties. That was some really good adversity that (Rivard) showed there battling through it and getting that sixth goal.”
ASU will have the weekend off before hosting Colorado and Colorado State in a three-game set at home starting Thursday.
Additional notes:
- This marked the fourth time this season that Levin has allowed three or more goals in a game. He had only done so in two total games in 2013-14.
Powers said it was difficult conditions for the sophomore goaltender, and did not attribute any of the goals to Levin’s play in net. Levin finished with 26 saves on 30 shots.
“That was a tough game for a goaltender, especially in the last two periods when we dominated the possession of the puck,” Powers said. “There was just some slop all around in front of (Levin).”
- After being outshot 17-5 in the opening period, ASU rebounded to outshoot the Flames 41-30 for the game.
- ASU held the ACHA’s leading scorer, Liberty freshman forward Luke Hannon, to just one point on the game.
THREE STARS:
Third Star: Lindsay LeBlanc, Liberty (one goal, one assist)
Second Star: Liam Norris, ASU (GW goal, one assist)
Third Star: Chris Burkemper (two goals)
Reach the reporter at fardaya@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @fardaya15
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