The road to the Pac-8 hockey title will run through Tempe, Ariz., this year after the Sun Devils split their weekend set with the Ducks to reclaim first place and win the season series against Oregon.
Despite losing 4-3 to Oregon on Friday night at the Lane County Ice Arena, the Sun Devils won a hard-fought 3-2 decision Saturday. The win puts the Sun Devils (6-2) a half point ahead of the Ducks (10-3) in the standings.
“They showed us this weekend they’re the best team in the Pac-8,” defenseman Jeff Gibb said.
On Friday, the Ducks escaped with the narrow victory by going on the offensive early, with Cam Forni and Kevin Keeland combining to score three goals before the third period.
Sun Devil center Cody Paul put ASU on the board late in the second period to make it a two-goal deficit. After Duck Eric Steinmann scored to give the Ducks their fourth goal, Paul and Bryan Hill added ASU’s final goals with just more than two minutes left in the third period.
Saturday night was a complete role reversal for both teams.
It was Arizona State’s turn to jump out early, with Matt Rice putting in a slap shot rebound in the first 10 minutes of the first period. Five minutes into the second period, ASU’s Stephen Hipskind found the back of the net to push the lead to two.
The Sun Devils’ lead, which came with a patient attack built up over two periods, would evaporate in a two-minute stretch by Oregon, with goals by Colton Clay and Tom Stocklin, the latter coming off an assist by Forni. The sudden spurt of goals sparked the pro-Oregon crowd on hand to a chorus of “Oooohs” just a minute later when the invigorated Oregon offense clanked a shot off of the right pole of the net, just wide.
Only 12 seconds into the third, however, ASU clinched the victory on a long breakaway goal by the first night’s hero, Cody Paul. The score would be the eventual game-winner, despite another late rally from Oregon. The Ducks pulled Pinckard in favor of an extra attacker with a minute and a half left in the game, but Tom Stocklin’s point blank shot attempt in the final minute was stopped.
“I thought we played a semi-flat first two periods last night and then the third period was ours and so the momentum carried into this game … I think the three periods tonight were all us,” ASU coach Murray Kuzek said.
The Sun Devils are the only team to defeat the Ducks so far this season. The two teams aren’t scheduled to meet again until the season-ending tournament, when both coaches expect to meet in the final.
“If I’m gonna predict it, it’s gonna be us and Oregon in the (Pac-8 tournament) finals up in Washington,” Kuzek said.
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