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ASU Hockey: The Sun Devils earn exhibition win over NAIT

By Ethan Schmidt

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil performs during the team's quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the Oregon Ducks T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Oregon won 80-57. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil performs during the team's quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the Oregon Ducks T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Oregon won 80-57. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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ASU hockey hosted the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in an exhibition match at Oceanside Ice Arena with the Sun Devils coming away with a 4-1 win.

NAIT could not stay out of the penalty box and ASU took advantage. The Sun Devils capitalized on two of their twelve power-play chances to seal the win.

“It’s always good when you can net a couple of power-play goals,” head coach Greg Powers said. “You’re giving yourself a chance to win.”

The Sun Devils got on the board first with a power-play goal in the first period. Freshman Johnny Walker buried a wrist shot under the glove of Ooks goaltender Nathan Park.

Walker, a Phoenix native, earned two points in his debut as a Sun Devil.

“Johnny’s a great player,” Powers said.  “He brings more than just his skillset to the table. I think he takes a tremendous amount of pride in putting that jersey on because he’s from here. He played like it meant something to him tonight and it was great to see.”

ASU increased its lead early in the second period when freshman Filips Buncis netted his first career goal with 15:21 on the clock. Walker and graduate transfer Gage Hough came away with the assists.

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Sophomore right winger Brett Gruber took an undisciplined slashing penalty to give NAIT a power play shortly after ASU took the 2-0 lead. The Ooks capitalized just 15 seconds in as forward Jarid Hauptman tucked one past sophomore goaltender Joey Daccord to cut their deficit to 2-1.

“I didn’t like the penalty that Gruber took that cost us the goal against, but he got one back,” Powers said. “That’s the most important thing.”

Gruber was responsible for the Sun Devils’ third goal of the night. He buried a one-timer on the short side for a 3-1 lead.

Joey Daccord received the start in net for the Sun Devils and exited with a .900 save percentage. Ryland Pashovitz also got to spend some time in net  and didn’t allow a goal against the Ooks.

The game started to get chippy in the third period. Ooks defenseman Ty Stanton received a five-minute major and a game misconduct after a scrum ensued behind the net.

“It’s just hockey,” Powers said. “NAIT is just a team that has a lot of pride and some really good players on it.”

Walker was ejected among the penalties toward the end of the game.

“I don’t do it unless I have to, but I’m definitely not going to shy away from it,” Walker said about his aggressiveness. “I think it’s a part of my game getting under the other team’s skin.”

The game won’t go down as an official win as it was just an exhibition game, but the Sun Devils took away some good things from the victory.

“It boosts our confidence,” defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk said. “It’s a great way to start the season off. Especially for our freshman, it’s their first taste of college hockey.”

The Sun Devils will open NCAA play next weekend against UMass-Amherst on October 6 at 7:05 p.m. PST at Oceanside.