ASU hockey split a two-game series with the University of Alaska Fairbanks over the weekend, losing 4-3 Friday night and winning 4-0 Saturday night.
Friday
The Sun Devils came into Alaska riding a four-game winning streak. But a wild game against the Nanooks resulted in their fourth loss of the 2019-20 season.
ASU scored the first goal of the game on a shot from freshman defenseman Jacob Semik with nine seconds left in the first period.
The tides turned in the second period when the Nanooks scored three unanswered goals in 11:03 to pull ahead 3-1 by the end of the second period.
Sophomore forward PJ Marrocco got the Sun Devils back on the board with a goal halfway through the final frame to cut the Nanooks' lead in half.
ASU's leading goal scorer, junior forward Johnny Walker, scored a power-play goal less than a minute later to tie the game 3-3.
But, ASU's chances of a successful comeback were spoiled thanks to Alaska Fairbanks's Kylar Hope, who scored the go-ahead goal with 3:26 left in the game to seal a 4-3 Nanooks' victory.
Saturday
After Friday's loss, the Sun Devils came out of the gate on a commanding note, shutting out the Nanooks to avoid a series sweep.
Sophomore defenseman Joshua Maniscalco pushed ASU ahead early with a first period power-play goal.
Less than two minutes later, senior forward Tyler Busch knocked home a rebound to add an insurance goal to ASU's lead.
After a scoreless middle period, sophomore forward Demetrios Koumontzis notched a third period goal to give the Sun Devils a 3-0 lead.
Maniscalco later tacked on an empty-net goal for his second of the game. He also added an assist in the win and now has 11 points in 10 games this season, with five goals and six assists.
Sophomore goaltender Evan DeBrouwer stopped all 20 shots he faced in the game to record a shutout.
The Sun Devils will return to action Friday, Nov. 29 to take on the Vermont Catamounts at Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe at 7:05 p.m.
Reach the reporter at aklatsky@asu.edu and follow @averyklatsky on Twitter.
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