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ASU Hockey: Sun Devils come up empty in Three Rivers Classic

ByEthan Schmidt|
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 11: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil stands on the court during a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the USC Trojans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 11, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USC won 67-64. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 11: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil stands on the court during a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the USC Trojans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 11, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USC won 67-64. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

ASU hockey lose both games in Pittsburgh in the Three Rivers Classic falling to No. 11 Providence 6-0 and to Lake Superior State 4-1.

No. 11 Providence was crowned the 2017 Three Rivers Classic Champion after defeating Robert Morris, 2-1, Saturday night at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa.

ASU hockey faced the Friars (12-7-1) in its first game Friday and fell apart halfway through. The 11th-ranked program in the nation shut out the Sun Devils en route to a 6-0 victory.

Junior forward Erik Foley led the way for the Friars. The Winnipeg Jets draft pick scored the first goal of the game and added two assists. Sophomore Josh Wilkins matched Foley with three points also.

The Friars peppered ASU goaltender Joey Daccord with 19 shots on goal in the second period while the Sun Devils only recorded one in the entire frame. Daccord finished with 37 saves on 43 shots. He has posted 30-plus saves per game in nine of his last 10 games played.

ASU found itself on the wrong side of special teams often as the Sun Devils had to go on the penalty kill six times. The Friars only netted one power-play goal but gained valuable momentum that eventually sealed the outcome.

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The Sun Devils looked for a better result Saturday afternoon in the home of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. ASU faced Lake Superior State in the consolation game, but the Lakers stole a 4-1 win.

Sun Devil hockey flipped a switch in the second game of the tournament. After recording just 17 shots on goal on Friday, ASU placed 49 shots on goal against the Lakers, a program high against a Division I opponent.

However, Lake Superior State goaltender Nick Kossof was a brick wall. Kossof fought off 48 of the 49 shots he faced to help the Lakers (5-13-4) to the victory.

ASU carried the momentum throughout and had 18 scoring chances. But special team struggles found the Sun Devils again, this time with the man advantage, as the team could not capitalize on six power-play opportunities.

The Lakers scored just over a minute into the game when J.T. Henke beat ASU junior goaltender Ryland Pashovitz with a wrist shot. Saturday was only the second start of the season for Pashovitz.

The Sun Devils quickly responded to tie the game 1-1 after Tyler Busch scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season less than three minutes later. It was the only goal ASU scored in the 2017 Three Rivers Classic.

Lake Superior State’s Brayden Gelsinger scored later in the first period fo the eventual game-winner. The Lakers got an insurance goal early in the third period and then added an empty net score near the end of regulation to end on top, 4-1.

ASU junior defenseman Joey Raats received a spot on the Three Rivers Classic All-Tournament Team.

The Sun Devils wrap up 2017 with a 4-12-4 record and have 14 games remaining in their season.

ASU will begin the new year with another tournament taking place in Las Vegas in the inaugural Ice Vegas Invitational at T-Mobile Arena, home of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, Jan. 5-6.

The tournament includes Northern Michigan, No. 13 Boston College and No. 15 Michigan Tech. ASU matches up first with Northern Michigan in game two Friday, Jan. 5th at 8:30 p.m. MT.