ASU Hockey Off to Its Best Start In Program History After 6-1 Win Over Colorado

The top-ranked Arizona State hockey team improved to 15-0 on the season after a 6-1 victory over the University of Colorado on Friday night. ASU's 15-0 start is the best start to a season in program history.

The team was on a high heading into Friday's game after the Oakland shootout victory the night before. As a result, they started the night with a hangover.

ASU eventually won by a 6-1 decision but the game was 2-0 after two periods of play. The Sun Devils came out sluggish and did not capitalize on the endless rebounds that Colorado's goaltender Bryan Ward allowed.

Junior Brian McGinty opened the scoring in the first period on a feed from captain Colin Hekle. It was not the prettiest goal as it was taken from a low angle shot, but it finally went past the Buffaloes' netminder. Hekle's assist increased his point streak to 15 games this season.

Hekle went on to score his 12th goal of the season in the second, but Division 2 Colorado stuck around for one more period.

The game completely turned around in the final period and the play got more physical. Sun Devils alternate captain Danny McAuliffe flattened Colorado's defenseman Sam Kinney at center ice and Kinney left the game for precautionary reasons.

The hit was very legal, but it signaled the start of a new game. There was more extra curricular activity after the whistles and Liam Norris also had to leave the game with a potential injury. He did not return to the game, either. There were twelve total penalties between the two sides in the third period alone.

Norris did put the Sun Devils up by three before leaving the game, but Colorado's Charlie Coleman snuck one past Corey Frank on a shot that should never have beaten the ASU sophomore goaltender. Frank deflected the shot while he was standing just outside of the crease and the puck trickled across the red line.

Fortunately for ASU fans, the maroon and gold scored three more goals to put the game out of reach. Brett Blomgren, Kale Dolinski and Ryan Clark all scored in the final 20 minutes of play.

Blomgren scored his second one of the season on a top shelf beauty. Clark's power play goal was his first goal of the season and he did it in style by hacking the puck while it was in the air. Dolinski's goal was also his sixth goal in the last four games.

The Sun Devils went 1-11 on the power play this weekend and will face No.15 Central Oklahoma on the road Thursday and No. 6 Oklahoma for another road series on Friday and Saturday.