After losing to Michigan in the first game 4-1 on Friday, ASU headed into Saturday’s match looking to avoid a home opener sweep. The Sun Devils played a strong first period but never led after Michigan jumped out to a 1-0 lead and never looked back.
Saturday proved to be different. Two goals within 15 seconds of each other in the last minute of regulation tied the game 3-3, and the Sun Devils (1-2-1) beat the Wolverines (2-1-1) in a 1-0 shootout win. Although the final score shows a win for ASU, the game resulted in a tie because it was nonconference.
“It was a hell of a series, and that’s a really good team,” head coach Greg Powers said. “We’re going to get better from playing them, and I’m really proud of our guys. There was never any doubt; our guys believed the whole way. Even down 3-1, there was a genuine belief that we could come back.”
Freshman forward Cullen Potter tied the game up 3-3 and assisted the goal from defenseman Noah Beck just 15 seconds before bringing ASU within a goal. Then, in the shootout, he notched the only goal between the two teams, deking the goalie and flipping the puck over his shoulder and into the net. The 17-year-old continues to impress, as many who didn't think he would keep up with the speed of the game, let alone lead his team to victory.
“There were people that said he wouldn’t be ready for college hockey,” Powers recalled. “He just went out against the University of Michigan and was easily one of the best players on the ice for us. The sky's the limit for him, and I'm thrilled that he’s a Sun Devil. It’s only going to get better.”
Potter’s goal in the third came straight off the faceoff, where he fired the puck from the middle of the ice down toward Michigan’s goal. The puck took a weird bounce and jumped over freshman goalie Cameron Korpi’s glove, and everyone at Mullet Arena was instantly rejuvenated.
“It was a surprise to me,” Potter commented. “I just threw it on net hoping for the best, and that happened. It was electric, got the fans going, finished it in the shootout, and luckily we won the game.”
Although Potter’s goal was the big one, the goal to bring ASU within one was just as important, if not more. Graduate defenseman Noah Beck scored the goal as the Sun Devils had a 6-on-4 power play after they pulled their goalie. The decision was bold already with a man advantage, but it prevailed in the end for the Sun Devils.
“It was quick,” Powers mentioned. “We needed to get quick and leave a good minute to tie it up, and we did. Beck pulled through for us and then obviously made the decision to keep Gibby on the bench and just keep a safety back there, and we were lucky enough to lose the draw but force a turnover. You blinked, and it was in the back of the net.”
Redshirt junior goalie Gibson Homer started in the net for both games this weekend and kept ASU in this game. Michigan had chances to score time and time again, but Homer stonewalled all but three of them. He played arguably his best hockey in the overtime and shootout period, making acrobatic saves left and right in overtime and stopping all three of Michigan’s shots in the shootout.
“I don’t think you could ask for much more,” Powers stated. “He held us in it and was incredible in overtime and the shootout. He’s a great goalie and looked like an NHL goalie tonight. He’s going to win a lot of games for us.”
The Sun Devils enter the 2024 season as members of the NCHC conference for the first time. The conference is deemed the best in hockey, boasting six of the last eight national champions. The level of energy ASU had last night was not up to par with the competition they’ll face this year, and that proved to be the difference in tonight’s game.
“It’s been a theme the last 24 hours that we know we have the skill to compete and hang with anybody,” Powers expressed. “But if we’re not going to match that with a level of will that needs to be done in this league, it’s going to be a long year. We weren’t hungry for loose pucks last night, and tonight, they were battling in every facet of the game. That’s the kind of effort we need to be successful in this league because that’s what it’s going to be like every night.”
The power play was just 1-4 tonight, with the lone goal coming in the third period on Beck’s goal. They had three power plays in the third period alone, and Beck’s goal was the only shot in the six minutes of having a man advantage. The Sun Devils got off one shot on their previous power play, totaling two shots in four power plays. Beck was a new addition to the top line for special teams, and he prevailed.
“They got one toward the end on a 6-on-4, so that was good,” Powers voiced. “I think we have to simplify it, get more pucks into the net, and it’ll be good. It’s a new unit with a lot of new guys on it learning chemistry. We switched around Beck and Court tonight, and Beck pulled through for us.”
Michigan is a downhill team that thrives on the rush, but the Sun Devils kept them from getting out on odd-man rushes for a majority of the series. Even when they did, Homer and the defenseman shut down any opportunities the Wolverines tried to create. That was adamant in the back half of the game and eventually allowed ASU to crawl its way back into the game.
“They’re a transition team,” Powers recognized. “They love to generate off the rush, and I don’t think they scored a goal off the rush this weekend, minus the one we gave up on the power play last night. I thought we were cleaner tonight, but we have a lot to clean up. It’s early in the season, the guys would probably say the same thing, and we’re going to enjoy it.”
One of the narratives surrounding the weekend was the return of defenseman Tim Lovell. The graduate spent his previous three seasons with the Sun Devils but transferred to Michigan at a time when Powers had to let him go, as Lovell was questioning whether or not he wanted to come back for another year.
Powers made it clear that he has the utmost respect and love for the defenseman and will root for him all season long. Obviously, this weekend, he wasn’t able to, but the Powers and Lovell families will continue to stay connected.
“Timmy and I will always be close,” Powers remarked. “There was no messy divorce here with us at all. It was a situation where I needed to go get a left-shot defenseman, and he didn’t know if he was going to play college hockey. We had enough mutual respect that he knew I had to do what I had to do. Timmy will be great for them all year, and I will be his biggest fan all season now that this series is behind us.”
With the departure of forward Matthew Kopperud after this season, the power play looked much weaker than in previous years. Losing the all-time leader in power-play goals will do that to a program, but the top line of forwards senior Ryan Kirwan and junior Bennet Schimek, along with Potter at center, has seen opportunities line up.
“I think it’s working really well,” Powers observed. “Kirwan’s getting some really good looks, and although they’re not going in right now, they will. Good power plays fail 80% of the time, so as long as it’s getting momentum and generating some changes, that’s what you want. Tonight, we got a big one to cut it to 3-2, and everything else followed.”
The new conference will pose uncharted territory and challenges for the Sun Devils, but they’ve shown that they can play with the highest level of competition. The Sun Devils now head on the road for a month straight, a period that will be a testament to the work they’ve put in.
“We can do this against anybody,” Powers noted. “This is the toughest schedule we’ve ever played. We play Providence at Providence, and they’re going to be pissed off because they just lost tonight, so it gets no easier. We got four straight on the road, and it’s a great opportunity.”
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