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ASU Hockey: Hollman, Pasichnuk power Devils to win over RIT

By Nicholas Frias

TEMPE, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky performs on the field during the fourth quarter of the college football game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Sun Devil Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky performs on the field during the fourth quarter of the college football game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Sun Devil Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) /
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ASU hockey dominated RIT 6-1 Friday night in the first game of a two-game series thanks to big games from Brinson Pasichnuk and Dylan Hollman.

Arizona State  opened up a must-win series against Rochester Institute of Technology by dominating the Tigers for 60 minutes Friday night.

The 6-1 victory was fueled by multi-goal games from Brinson Pasichnuk and Dylan Hollman, who also added an assist, as well as multi-assist games from Anthony Croston and Hobey Baker Award nominee Johnny Walker.

Brett Gruber added a goal and an assist, giving the Sun Devils five multi-point scorers on the night. In net, Joey Daccord stopped 33 of 34 shots during his NCAA-leading 18th win.

“When you put up goals like we did tonight, you know that you’re going win the game, because of [Daccord],” Sun Devils head coach Greg Powers said after the game.

The Sun Devils got off to a very quick start, as Dylan Hollman tipped a Brinson Pasichnuk pass into the net a mere 26 seconds into the game. Eight minutes later, Brett Gruber doubled the lead off of a cross-ice pass from Walker.

Arizona State scored a third time early in the second period before RIT answered with their first goal, an unassisted, loose puck goal from junior forward Ryan Kruper. Dylan Hollman’s second goal of the game, a shorthanded goal scored with under four minutes remaining in the second period, gave the Sun Devils a three-goal lead again.

Brinson Pasichnuk scored two goals in the third period to bring the Sun Devils’ goal total up to 6 for the night, and the victory moved the team one step closer to a potential NCAA tournament berth.

“When you beat a good team 6-1 on the road, and you don’t feel like you played your best, that’s a good sign,” Powers said.

Next. ASU Hockey: Sun Devils travel to RIT in pivotal series. dark

Coach Powers’ team will hit the ice in Rochester to face the Tigers one last time Saturday night, another must-win game if the Sun Devils want to be sitting pretty when the conference tournaments roll around.

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