ASU hockey completed the sweep against Michigan State, earning a hard-fought 2-0 victory Saturday night.
The Sun Devils (9-3-0) topped the Spartans (4-4-0) through disciplined play and an excellent combined performance from junior goaltender Joey Daccord and the defense up front.
“I can’t even think of many saves I made at all,” Daccord said. “What did they have, 20 shots? Zero shots on a five-minute power play. That makes my life pretty easy.”
Michigan State did only put up 20 shots for the game, a testament to Arizona State’s hard work and impressive ability to disrupt plays with their sticks. However, as Daccord mentioned, the Sun Devils excelled on the penalty kill.
Arizona State’s penalty kill unit – the nation’s best with a 92.7% success rate – faced the Spartans’ power play unit five times, denying them a goal in each attempt.
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The Sun Devils frequently created opportunities on offense after killing a penalty, including a play that led to the game’s first goal late in the opening period.
Senior defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk carried the puck out of the Arizona State’s defensive zone as the penalty clock wound down to zero. The captain passed the puck over to senior forward Jake Clifford, who fed it back Pasichnuk right in front of the net.
Pasichnuk tipped the puck into the net, colliding with junior goaltender John Lethemon after the puck made it through.
“It just seems the last 20 seconds of the penalty kill, guys get their second wind – especially if they’re caught out there for a while. They kind of see the finish line,” Pasichnuk said.
Pasichnuk’s effort resulted in a trip to the penalty box for charging the goalie. However, his goal separated the teams for the first time in a contentious battle.
Michigan State’s power play was effective as well throughout the game, but they slipped up after a lengthy 5-on-3 power play for the Sun Devils.
Both Brody Stevens and Jerad Rosburg earned time in the box for cross-checking midway through the second period. Arizona State poured on the pressure as Stevens’ penalty was up.
Eight seconds after Stevens was released, Filips Buncis fired the puck through a crowd and into the net to extend the Sun Devils’ lead. The goal was Buncis’ second on the year, and gave Arizona State some breathing room.
“What makes him so special is he gets it. He is an incredible teammate and he’s making the most of his opportunities,” ASU head coach Greg Powers said. “Whether he gets a shift or he plays 20 minutes, when we win a hockey game he’s the happiest guy in that room.”
Michigan State had a couple of chances to pull closer, especially from junior forward Patrick Khodorenko.
Khodorenko, whose five goals are tied for the team lead, found himself up close with an open net twice in the third period. He gathered himself and shot the puck off the side of the net on the first attempt. The second time, he tried to shoot a one-timer from the same spot but whiffed.
Hard work and a little bit of luck led to the Arizona State win, which was Powers’ 200th in both club and Division 1 hockey at Arizona State.
Each team will play next weekend. The Sun Devils will look forward to their road trip to Harvard, while the Spartans will welcome Notre Dame to East Lansing.