ASU hockey: Sun Devils dominated by Boston U at Gila River, 8-0

With just two home games remaining on the season for Arizona State (7-16-5), the Sun Devils welcomed the Boston University Terriers (12-11-2) to town for a Friday night game at Gila River Arena where they fell 8-0.

The last thing the Sun Devils wanted to do coming off last weekend’s disappointing series loss to Quinnipiac was get off to a slow start against college hockey powerhouse BU, but that’s exactly what they did.

After looking very aggressive in the first few minutes of play, freshman standout Johnny Walker took a five-minute major and a 10-minute misconduct for an illegal hit on BU defenseman Chad Krys.

“The first ten minutes we controlled the pace and the play,” coach Powers said. “It was just one of those weird games, you just have to crumple everything up and throw it out.”

From there the game was all downhill for the Sun Devils, as the Terriers leading scorer Bobo Carpenter scored the first of his two goals on that power play to give Boston the lead they would hold for the next 55 minutes.

Following the power play goal ASU kept BU off the board for the next ten minutes but eventually the pressure grew to be too much, and the Terriers scored three times in the final two-and-a-half minutes to make the score 4-0 heading into the first intermission.

The second period was all Boston U as Carpenter scored his second goal of the game and top NHL prospect Brady Tkachuk scored his second as well with just under a minute left.

Tkachuk’s goal came on the power play after ASU freshman Dominic Garcia earned a game misconduct for elbowing, giving the Terriers their second extended power play of the game.

“You give them a four minute and five minute, that’s nine minutes on the power play,” coach Powers said. “You’re not going to win a game and they’re going to score and they did.”

With the game at 7-0 after 40 minutes, coach Powers made some changes in the final period, most notably pulling goalie Joey Daccord for freshman Mikey DePhillips who saw his first collegiate action in the game.

“We struggled in net tonight, I don’t think that’s any secret,” coach Powers said. “[Daccord] has been great for us all year. He’s been really good and he’ll bounce back.”

Filling in for the injured Ryland Pashovitz, DePhillips made a couple of nice saves early in the period including one on a breakaway, but the BU attack proved to be too much as the Terriers scored just under seven minutes into the period to extend the lead to 8-0.

From there Boston controlled the pace of the game coasting to the 8-0 win.

Arizona State had some chances but BU goal tender Jake Oettinger had the answer to all of them while Joey Daccord and Mikey DePhillips struggled to fend of the overwhelming Terrier attack.

The loss was a tough one for the Sun Devils but with the series finale, and home finale, headed back to Oceanside, ASU may have a little boost for Saturday’s game against the Terriers.