ASU Hockey: Sun Devils sweep Air Force

Led by a 38-save gem and goals from five different players, Arizona State (3-3) swept Air Force (0-4) on Saturday night in Colorado Springs by a final score of 5-2 in the second game of the series.

Sophomore goaltender Evan DeBrouwer had a career night with 38 saves following a Friday night shutout where he wasn’t tested too much. Now six games into the season, the Sun Devils lone returning goaltender from last year’s team appears to be establishing himself. He has started the team’s last four games between the pipes.

Offensively, ASU had two power play goals with one coming from sophomore forward Demetrios Koumontzis, and the other coming from sophomore defenseman Josh Maniscalco, who has continued his consistent play on the back end to begin the season.

ASU jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the second period, but Air Force responded with a late goal to make it a one-goal game entering the final 20 minutes.

In the third, the Devils put the nail in the coffin, however. They scored three goals, including the first collegiate goal for highly-touted freshman Logan Jenuwine. Maniscalco added his power play tally, and junior forward Willie Knierim added the final goal of the night to put things away.

Faced with the shadow of an 0-4 start, and looking to avoid being swept on home ice, a desperate Air Force team outshot ASU in every period on Saturday for a final total of 40 to 29 on the shot counter. Regardless, DeBrouwer was up to the task as the night wore on.

The top Sun Devil line of Koumontzis, junior Johnny Walker, and junior James Sanchez recorded six points, and ASU earned a much-needed sweep as a big series lies ahead in two weeks in Tempe.

Following an off week, the team will host the same team who knocked them out of last year’s NCAA Tournament in the Allentown Regional when No. 8 Quinnipiac enters Oceanside Arena on Nov. 1 and 2.