Box Score ALLSTON, Ma. – Sun Devil Hockey found a way to split the two-game series with Harvard on Saturday night, as sophomore forward
Johnny Walker tipped a shot from freshman defenseman Josh Maniscalco for the game-winner in overtime.
Despite trailing for nearly half of the game and being shorthanded for a fourth of the game, the Sun Devils (10-4-0) overcame adversity for the 3-2 victory over the Crimson (2-3-2) with a big credit to junior goaltender
Joey Daccord and his 40 saves between the pipes.
"We're 10-4 and that was the grittiest, character, gutsy win we've had as a program so far," said head coach
Greg Powers. "When you tack on some of the adversity that was thrown our way unjustly tonight, and to see our guys get through, it was awesome."
Penalties were heavily lopsided in the game with ASU being dealt 11 to Harvard's five. The Crimson entered the game with the No. 1 ranked powerplay in the country after capitalizing on two of four opportunities in game one. Tonight, despite getting eight chances, Harvard scored on just the first of the game.
The goal, while credited to Lewis Zerter-Gossage, went off the skate of Maniscalco in front to give Harvard a 1-0 lead four minutes into the first period.
With two minutes left in the first frame, the Sun Devils finally broke through off a beautiful pass from senior
Anthony Croston to linemate and fellow senior
Dylan Hollman for a 1-1 tie.
The second period seemed to feature more whistles and stoppages than actual hockey. Eight penalties were assigned to total 32 minutes combined, with six penalties and 28 minutes being assigned to the Devils in the frame.
After killing all three chances in the 2
nd, Harvard found a way to again capitalize on a fortunate bounce in front with just 40 seconds left in the period.
As the back half of the third period was ticking down, and ASU shorthanded with Walker in the box, the Sun Devils' top penalty killing pair came up big.
Hollman crashed the middle before dishing the puck off to Croston just before going down after taking a hit, and Croston buried the game-tying goal for the Sun Devils' first shorthanded goal of the season.
Again, the penalty kill – which came into the game ranked No. 2 in the country after Friday night's 2-for-4 performance – came up big with a kill in the final four minutes of regulation to help push the game to overtime.
It was only fitting ASU started the five-minute overtime period shorthanded as they had for a good portion of regulation.
For the seventh time on the night, the kill did its job killing the first two minutes. Just 45 seconds later, it was Maniscalco – who was called for the previous two penalties – who came into the zone at the top of the left circle and fired a blast that was redirected by Walker passed Harvard goaltender Michael Lackey.
The goal was Walker's 12
th of the season, which extends his lead atop the standings by three.
ASU moved up to No. 5 in the PairWise rankings after the overtime victory. The 10
th win matches a program best in a season, which was reached back in 2016-17.
The Sun Devils continue their six-game road trip with a Thanksgiving match-up with Nebraska Omaha, who they swept just three weeks ago at home.
