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ASU Hockey: Sun Devils make history in opening series sweep

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 completed a series sweep of the Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks with a 5-0 victory on Sunday.

The Sun Devils made history on Sunday afternoon by winning their second-straight game to begin the season. ASU is 2-0-0 for the first time ever as a NCAA Division I program.

“We’re getting production from all of the guys we need it from,” ASU head coach Greg Powers said. “Its a good start to the season but that’s all it is is a start.”

It was a weekend full of firsts for Sun Devil Hockey. The series sweep was the first ever done on home ice.

“It’s a good monkey off our back,” Powers said. “It’s a goal we’ve set for a while, so we get to check it off the list and put it behind us, and I’m happy about that.”

ASU junior goaltender Joey Daccord denied 13 shots from the Nanooks (0-2-0) on Sunday afternoon to give him back-to-back shutouts after a stout weekend in net. The Sun Devils have never held an opponent scoreless for two games in a row.

“He just looks like he expects to stop every puck right now,” Powers said. “He’s a really good veteran presence for us back there and I think his confidence resonates through our entire roster.”

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The Sun Devils scored their first power play goal of the season. Co-captain Tyler Busch gave ASU a 1-0 lead after getting his stick on a shot from Johnny Walker that got past UAF goaltender Anton Martinnson.

But it didn’t stop there as the new freshman class made an impact right away over the weekend.

Forward PJ Marrocco scored his first collegiate goal for ASU in Sunday’s game to help boost the Sun Devils’ big lead. The true freshman snatched the puck from behind the net and wrapped around in front to burry it, making the score 3-0.

“That’s probably the most talented freshman class we’ve ever had come in,” Busch said. “They’ve really done a good job of buying into what we’re doing here and everyday they come to the rink prepared to work.”

Walker progressed his goal streak to seven-straight games dating back to last season. The Sun Devils’ fifth and final goal of the night came off a feed from Brett Gruber into the slot and Walker found the back of the twine.

“It’s not really something you think about,” Walker said on the goal streak. “You go in every night to compete and play the right way and good things will happen. I probably won’t have an easier one than that all year.”

Defensemen Jacob Wilson and Brinson Pasichnuk each tallied a goal in the Sun Devils’ 5-0 win as well. It was Wilson’s first of the season and Pasichnuk’s second after his empty net goal on Saturday night.

ASU will host No. 3 Ohio State next weekend at Oceanside Ice Arena. It will be the first of many tough tests for Sun Devils this season.

Next. ASU Hockey: Sun Devils capture win in season opener. dark

“They are going to be incredibly talented, and we know that,” Powers said. “But our guys are confident. And at the end of the day, we have no pressure on us. We have absolutely zero pressure on us.”

All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted.