TEMPE – Last Saturday, sophomore forward Cullen Potter scored with 20 seconds left in overtime. A week later, Potter scored the game-winner with 19 seconds left in overtime.
Arizona State (5-8-1, 3-4-1 NCHC) won 4-3 over Ohio State (5-9), its third consecutive win. All of the games on the win streak went to overtime. This sweep over the Buckeyes was the first for the Sun Devils this season.
“Potter just drove the play; he was possessed,” Arizona State head coach Greg Powers said. “He just didn’t feel like he was going to let us lose the game.”
This was the most dramatic of the Sun Devils' overtime wins, with the Sun Devils being down 3-0 in the third period. It also featured a goal that was called back for a high stick.
Potter has come alive, scoring four goals in the last five games and a seven-game point streak. In all five games he has scored, the Sun Devils have gone on to win.
“We just drove a spot pass to (Bennett) Schimek, and I’m going to beat my guy up the ice,” Potter said. “(It) worked out like we thought it would.”
Freshman forward Sam Alfano scored the game-tying goal, his fifth of the season. Freshman forward Jack Beck scored the first goal. It was the fifth time Beck lit the lamp this season.
Sophomore defenseman Joel Kjellberg scored his first collegiate goal. It was the first goal scored by a defenseman this season. Freshman defenseman Justin Kipkie also contributed offensively with two assists.
“I felt like ever since we scored that first goal, we were going to come back and definitely be in the game and hopefully win it,” Potter said. “We’ve been really good in OT, so I definitely wasn’t scared.”
The Sun Devils offense was electric, but the power play was not, going 0-for-3 on the game. The Sun Devils had five total shots on the man advantage in the game. In the series, the unit went 1-for-7 and is 23.9% on the season.
The Sun Devils' penalty kill allowed a goal both times it was a man down. The unit killed three of four of Ohio State’s power plays in the series. They have an 18.33% kill rate this season.
Arizona State drew nearly 50% of the faceoffs, going 35-of-71. Potter and Logan Morrell went 10-for-19 and 11-for-19, respectively. Morrell has dominated at the dot this season at 58.7%, while Potter has struggled at 44.6%.
Junior center Sean McGurn went 5-for-9, continuing his good face-off season at 57.3%. Junior forward Kyle Smolen struggled a little, going 8-for-21. He has had an okay season there at 47.0%.
The Sun Devils' two leading point scorers, senior forwards Bennett Schimek and Cruz Lucius, continued to impact the game as the childhood friends both assisted Potter on his overtime winner. Lucius had another assist as well. Potter, third in points, had an assist. Lucius and Potter helped draw up the play that scored the overtime winner.
Sophomore forward Noah Powell had an assist against his former team. The Illinois native had two points on the series, the most in any series this season for the former Buckeye.
“He (Powell) was really passionate about this weekend,” Powers said. “I’m glad that the guys could get it done for him.”
Senior goaltender Connor Hasley had a solid night. He stopped 28 shots with a .903 save percentage.
Hasley has won his past four starts. The New York native has a .918 save percentage and a 2.86 goals against average this season.
“He’s reeling off some wins now,” Powers said. “We brought him in here to give us that steady presence, and he’s doing that.”
The goals that Hasley allowed came at odd times. The first one he allowed was on a delayed penalty moments after Lucius tripped an Ohio State player. The second one was moments after a puck almost crossed the goal line on a goal that did not count, and was reviewed after Hasley let in another goal. The final goal he allowed was on a power play.
The last time the Sun Devils came back from a three-goal deficit was in last season’s NCHC playoffs against Minnesota Duluth on March 15th. The Sun Devils have a bye next week, before travelling to Minnesota Duluth.
This three-game win streak is the first since last season’s January win streak, when the Sun Devils swept Saint Cloud State and beat Colorado College once. If the Sun Devils were to win the first game against the Bulldogs, their win streak would be the longest since last season’s eight-game streak, which spanned from late November to early January.
“That was impressive to come back, down three,” Powers said. “That is the epitome of resiliency.”