Following their first two Division I games hosted in Alaska, ASU hockey is back within the contiguous 48 states, although a lengthy stop in Connecticut is on the schedule before the Sun Devils can finally return to their home at Oceanside.
ASU will traverse over 90 miles throughout the state over the course of three days, matching up against Quinnipiac University, the University of Connecticut, and finally Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. After finishing 1-1 in their first two games against NCAA opponents, ASU has three well-rounded NCAA opponents in their sights for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Quinnipiac University
The No. 17 Bobcats strung together some impressive win streaks in their 2014-15 campaign, finishing with a record of 23-13-4 (wins, losses, ties). They have kept the momentum rolling into the 2015 season, winning an exhibition match-up as well as their first two regular season games. Each win was by a two-goal margin and the Bobcats netted at least one goal in their previous eight consecutive periods.
Junior forward and assistant captain Sam Anas, Quinnipiac's top returning goal scorer began the 2015 season where his last season left off, scoring the first two goals for the Bobcats in their season opener last Friday, becoming the 25th NCAA Division I player to do so.
Senior goaltender Michael Garteig is nothing short of a dominant force in net for the Bobcats, starting the year off with 35 saves against Holy Cross and adding his name to the watch list for the Mike Richter Award which is awarded annually to the best NCAA Division I goalie. Garteig entered the 2015 season with 46 career wins, 11 career shutout games played and 1.99 career goals-against average, numbers that are 1st, 1st and 3rd among all goalies in the nation, respectively.
University of Connecticut
The Huskies will meet ASU in Hartford on Friday for their third scheduled game of the season after splitting a home-and-home to open the season versus Alabama-Huntsville. UConn is led by third-year head coach Mike Cavanaugh, who holds a 28-33-11 record with the program.
Sophomore goaltender Scott Thulin has let in as many goals for Husky opponents as the offense has scored in two games, 7, leading the team to their 1-1 record. To say the first two games on the schedule have been similar is an understatement: through two games the Huskies and their opponent each had 9 penalties, each for 18 total minutes, averaging both 3.5 goals per game. UConn has yet to score a power play goal despite having seven opportunities through two games.
Freshman forward Max Letunov recorded a hat-trick in the first game against Holy Cross and currently leads the Huskies in goals (3) and points (4), just above freshman forward Tage Thompson who has three assists through two games.
Sacred Heart University
Sacred Heart opened their season against the Union Dutchmen in a tight game that ended tied, 1-1, sticking the Pioneers with a 0-0-1 record heading into their second game of the season versus UMass on Friday. On Saturday, they will play their third game against the Sun Devils in the Jason Pagni Memorial Game at Danbury Ice Arena.
In their first game, the Pioneers benefited from a 6-on-5 goal late in the third period to force OT against Union. Junior forward Spencer Graboski assisted senior defenseman Jacob Brightball for the equalizer, and freshman goaltender Brett Magnus stopped a last minute shot from Union to force extra time.
Magnus, a Canadian, played in the British Columbia Hockey League last season where he posted a 3.23 goals-against average over 49 starts in net, owning a record of 24-21-1. Pioneers head coach C.J. Marottolo had commented on his high expectations for Magnus before the season, citing his "calmness and poise between the pipes as one of his greatest strengths."
On the home front
The Sun Devils will play their three games in consecutive days, starting at Quinnipiac on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 4:00pm (AZ time). Following the final game Saturday at Sacred Heart, ASU will return home for a two game set versus Southern New Hampshire.
Looking to return home with a winning record, the Sun Devils will undoubtedly face tough goaltending and will have to put a lot of pucks on the net against three formidable opponents. ASU will look to its tandem of netminders in junior goaltender Robert Levin and freshman Ryland Pashovitz to keep the Sun Devils in the game: Pashovitz showed flashes of brilliance late in a win over Alaska Fairbanks last Saturday.
Related Links:
ASU hockey gets first non-North American commit in DI history
ASU hockey edged out by Alaska Anchorage in overtime
Reach the reporter at csafran@asu.edu and follow @ChrisSafran on Twitter.
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