Before a game, coach Powers goes over the game and plan for the night. (Photo by Ana Ramirez)To say that No. 2 ASU has been beaten up in recent weeks would be an understatement.
With injuries piling up and a rough schedule that featured six games over the span of 10 days, ASU Coach Greg Powers said that the Sun Devils (16-2) simply ran out of gas in Sunday's 6-3 loss to No. 6 Stony Brook.
"Overall, we had a successful trip," Powers said. "I don't like blowing a three-goal lead like we did, but with it being our sixth game in 10 days, we just ran out of gas unfortunately, being so short on bodies."
ASU, however, is left without a break yet again. After wrapping up its three-game set on Sunday afternoon, the Sun Devils will have a short week to recover and prepare before facing off against No. 12 Minot State (10-5-1) Thursday night.
"We'll be careful about how we have them work this week, but we are hoping to get some bodies back this weekend which will be huge for us," Powers said.
With so many players dealing with or recovering from injuries, Powers said he doesn't know who will be ready to go come Thursday night.
"To be determined," he said.
The lone silver lining with the short rest is that fact that ASU is just two weeks away from the month-long holiday break, as the team wraps up the first part of its season against the Beavers and Illinois.
Powers did not allow Sunday's loss to tamper with his expectations for his team heading into the holiday break.
"I don't see us as anything but a top team at break," he said. "We are 16-2 and have had arguably our most dynamic guys out all season so after the semester, when we have a healthy roster, it should be a lot of fun."
Minot State comes to Tempe as ASU's first repeat opponent of the 2014-15 season, as the Sun Devils swept the Beavers on the road in their prior series. Powers attributed their success this season to a simplistic style that emphasizes effort for wins.
"They just play a very simple, hard-nosed style that works well for them," he said. "We will have to work very hard to get two more wins."
A Beaver who is expected to give ASU some trouble is sophomore forward Jeremy Johnson, who leads his team with 25 points (17 goals, eight assists).
"Jeremy Johnson is obviously their top guy and one of the league's top players," Powers said. "We'll have to be aware when he is on the ice."
Johnson, along with forwards Logan Herauf (18 points) and Cole Olson (15 points), could give sophomore goaltender Robert Levin problems.
In net for Minot State will be Riley Hengen, who boasts a 6-4 record this season, allowing 2.73 goals per game this season with a save percentage of .917.
Levin comes into this week's series after an up and down performance last weekend on the east coast. He picked up his ACHA-leading fourth shutout of the year in Saturday's 4-0 win before giving up six goals in ASU's 6-3 loss Sunday. Levin is 13-2 this season, allowing 2.07 goals per game with a .925 save percentage.
ASU opens its series against No. 12 Minot State on Thursday night from Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe. The face-off is expected to be at 8:15 p.m.
Reach the reporter at fardaya@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @fardaya15
Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow @statepressport on Twitter.
