Arizona State head coach Greg Powers was adamant when expressing his displeasure on games ending in ties.
“I think ties are un-American,” Powers said following a 1-1 draw against Michigan State in the series opener. “I really wish they let us play the shootout.”
Powers found out 30 minutes before Thursday’s puck drop that they would not be able to participate in Big Ten shootouts via an NCAA waiver.
The Sun Devils didn’t appear to have their legs out of the gates after playing just four days prior. Michigan State’s defense clogged the shot lanes early on, but Powers liked how his team’s adjustments in the second and third periods.
“They were blocking a ton of shots. It was getting pretty frustrating,” Powers said. “The whole plan was ‘let’s get pucks and bodies to the net… And that’s how we scored.”
Redshirt junior Chris Grando, a transfer from Boston College, buried the equalizer with four minutes to play in regulation. It was Grando’s first goal since the Hockey East tournament semifinal on March 22, 2019.
“It was huge,” Grando said. “Big weight off my shoulders after not playing for a while, but our team felt that we were going to score way earlier in that game.”
Grando’s tally was a sigh of relief. But it was the only sigh of relief the Sun Devils could catch this week.
Following the 1-1 tie, the Sun Devils (0-3-1) fell 2-0 to the Spartans (1-0-1) Friday night at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing.
Two goals in four games against the Big Ten is a jarring problem with Johnny Walker watching from the rafters with a lower-body injury.
“We’re missing wide open nets,” Powers said. “We know we have the players to score goals, even without Johnny.”
ASU’s powerplay has also rendered ineffective, capitalizing just one time on 17 powerplay opportunities.
The Sun Devils had a 5-on-3 penalty against Michigan State but garnered just two shots on goal, both from freshman forward Ryan O’Reilly. O’Reilly, a Detroit Red Wings draft pick, has the lone powerplay goal this season.
“It was frustrating because we were sure it went in,” Powers said on O’Reilly’s one-timer that was reviewed in the first period. “Our powerplay is getting good looks. They’re just not scoring.”
Late in the third period, senior forward Sean Dhooghe had a pair of good looks just sail wide. Freshman forward Michael Mancinelli lasered a shot over the crossbar from the slot.
In game one, freshman and New Jersey draft pick Cole Brady made 25 saves, bailing out the Sun Devils a couple of times in the overtime frame. Sophomore Evan DeBrouwer stopped 28 of Michigan State’s 30 shot attempts in Game 2 after allowing six goals to Michigan in the season opener.
It’s the first time in program history the Sun Devils are winless in their first four contests. ASU went 1-3 after series against Mercyhurst and Minnesota State, but eventually stormed to a program-best 22 wins and a near-guaranteed NCAA Tournament bid. Climbing out of a hole is familiar territory for Powers and his squad.
“This program was built on adversity,” Powers said. “We have to stay positive. The guys have to continue to support each other. We’ve been here before. We were here last year, and we found a way to climb out of it, and that’s exactly what we plan on doing.”
The Sun Devils will search for their first win of the 2020-2021 season when they face off against the Wisconsin Badgers on November 28-29 on Fox Sports Arizona.
