ASU hockey travelled to the east coast for a weekend series with Harvard, splitting the series with a bounce-back overtime win Saturday.
It was just the second series meeting ever between the two programs. A battle of some of the nation’s best special teams commenced.
In game one of the series, Harvard put ASU on its heels early and never looked back to seal a 4-1 win.
The Crimson outshot the Sun Devils 14-2 in the first period, and sophomore forward Jack Badini got the scoring going. Badini popped the puck passed ASU goaltender Joey Daccord right in front.
“We’ve typically been a great team in the first period and usually come out fast, but tonight Harvard outplayed us out of the gates,” ASU coach Greg Powers said. “I was pleased with what I saw in the final two periods. We got back to our style of play but just couldn’t get that one bounce we needed to shift momentum our way.”
ASU came in with the best penalty kill in the country while Harvard had the second-best power play. Despite the Sun Devils answering with more shots than the Crimson in the second period, Harvard capitalized on the man-advantage with a goal from Adam Fox.
The Sun Devils got one back just three minutes later as Latvian-native Filips Buncis buried his third goal of the season on a power play opportunity. However, it was the only one on six man-advantage opportunities for ASU on Friday.
But the Crimson displayed their dominant power play again later in the period and took a 3-1 lead. Harvard added another score in the third period and used strong defense to come out on top.
On Saturday, the Sun Devils had to respond and they did in a big way. It was the second-straight Saturday road game that ASU won in overtime, this time by a score of 3-2.
SHG + 8 PKs + 40 saves + OT Winner = Gritty Win pic.twitter.com/8Vs4uaZL0l
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) November 18, 2018
And the guy who scored it was all too familiar as well. Sophomore forward Johnny Walker, who netted the game-winner against No. 5 Penn State, was responsible for the goal when he redirected in a shot from freshman defenseman Josh Maniscalco.
“We’re 10-4 and that was the grittiest, character, gutsy win we’ve had as a program so far,” Powers said. “When you tack on some of the adversity that was thrown our way unjustly tonight, and to see our guys get through, it was awesome.”
Their 10th win of the season is tied for a program-best that was set back in the 2016-17 season.
The win did not come easy as Harvard’s nasty power play struck again early. Senior forward Lewis Zerter-Gossage put a shot toward the net and it deflected into the net off of Maniscalco’s skate.
But the Sun Devils’ second-best penalty kill in the nation stood tall, only allowing the one goal on eight power play chances for Harvard.
ASU’s veterans in Dylan Hollman and Anthony Croston were cooking. The pair got one back as Hollman scored off an asset from Croston late in the first period.
After Harvard got the lead back at the end of the second period, the Sun Devils got the answer they needed again from the assistant captain and former captain. Croston got a dish from Hollman and cashed in ASU’s first shorthanded goal of the season to tie the game.
The Sun Devils continued the common theme on the night and began the overtime period short-handed. After Maniscalco didn’t suffer the consequences from his penalty, the freshman clapped a shot on net that was tipped by Walker and beat Harvard goaltender Michael Lackey.
It was Walker’s 12th goal of the season and he remains the nation’s leading goal-scorer.
Daccord was more than stout in net for the Sun Devils. The junior recorded 40 saves and helped his team fight off a plethora of penalties in the win.
ASU now sets its focus on another road test next weekend at University of Nebraska-Omaha for a two-game series. The Sun Devils swept the Mavericks earlier this season in Tempe.
All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted.