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Hat Trick Secures Series Sweep for Hockey

by thesundevils.com
Oct 30, 2021

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Sun Devil Hockey (6-4-0) secured the series sweep over St. Thomas (1-9-0) with a 4-2 victory on Saturday night at Oceanside Ice Arena. Colin Theisen netted a hat trick, featuring a goal in each period, while netminder Cole Brady made 37 saves. 

This is the second-straight series sweep at home for the Maroon and Gold and secures their fifth win in the last six home games.

ASU's offense got out to an early start with two goals from graduate forwards Sean Dhooghe and Colin Theisen, while the defense held the Tommies scoreless through the first half of the game. Theisen sealed the deal late in the third with his first hat trick of the season.  
 

"Tonight wasn't pretty, obviously not happy at all about the penalties that put us on our heels and let them back in the game," said Head Coach Greg Powers. "I thought the first ten minutes were unbelievable, the best ten minutes of the season. You could feel our guys were ready to play tonight, but when you take the two penalties after that, then you're in the box half the second period. These two guys (Colin Theisen and Cole Brady) did an unbelievable job, the rest of the guys on the kill did and they won us the game."

The Sun Devils will have a 12-day break before traveling to Hamden, Connecticut to take on the Quinnipiac Bobcats on Nov. 12 and 13. Puck drop will be at 5 p.m. MST on both nights. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Period:

  • Early in the first period, Dhooghe opened the scoring for ASU with his first goal of the season. 
  • 90 seconds later, Theisen gave the Sun Devils a two-goal lead. Freshman forward Josh Doan had the assist, his tenth of the season. 
  • Between the pipes, sophomore netminder Cole Brady stopped all six shots faced in the first period.

Second Period:

  • Freshman defenseman Ethan Szmagaj took a shot from the top of the right circle and Thiesen found the rebound for his second goal of the night early in the second period. 
  • Halfway through the second period, Christiano Versich put the Tommies on the scoreboard with a power-play goal.
  • The Sun Devils led 3-1 to end the second period. 

Third Period:

  • After 14 minutes of play, St. Thomas pulled their goaltender for the sixth man. 
  • Thiesen netted an empty-net goal for his first hat trick of the season.
  • With 45 seconds remaining on the clock, St. Thomas scored on the man advantage to cut ASU's lead to two. 
  • Brady finished the game with 37 saves on 39 shots posting a .949 save percentage. 

GAME NOTES 

  • The hat trick is Theisen's second career. He scored his first versus Wisconsin in the second game of the 2020-21 season on Nov. 14. 
  • ASU is now 3-0-0 when leading after two periods.  
  • Dhooghe's goal was his first goal of the season and his third as a Sun Devil. 
  • Doan leads all NCAA Divison I freshmen in total points with 14 (4G-10A) in ten games played. 
  • Szmagaj's assist was his first point for the Sun Devils. 
  • The last time the Sun Devils had a hat trick was on Feb. 15 2020 (Brinson Pasichnuk).
  • Theisen now has four multi-point games in ten games played. 
  • Through all ten games this season, ASU has scored at least two goals in each game. 

QUOTES
Head Coach Greg Powers
On goaltender Cole Brady:
"Cole was lights out. After last night, watching that game and seeing the team not generate much at all on us. He had to be mentally ready to go for that game and after the first ten minutes nobody in the building saw what was coming and he was ready for it, so that's impressive"

On the penalty kill:
"We have a ton of confidence in our kill, we have a lot of guys who can do it. We have a pretty good mojo with the rotation we've got going."

On giving the other team momentum:
"We've been a really disciplined team. This isn't going to make us an undisciplined team. It's a good lesson. We came out and it looked like we may be up three or four after the first and went up two then took two penalties to give them a little bit of momentum, it stopped our momentum then we never got it back. It's on us to not give them belief and tonight we gave them belief by giving them some penalties and then they tilted the ice and started playing. That's a dangerous thing." 

Graduate Forward Colin Theisen:
On the empty net goal:
"We just needed to get the puck out there, they were hemming us in with six on five, so we just stuck to what we do and we had to get the puck out and it's just what I did and I found an opening and took it."

On two on ones:
"I think we just put pressure on them and made them panic a bit, and then when they did we jumped on loose pucks and won those battles and won the races."

Sophomore Goaltender Cole Brady:
On bouncing back from his start at Colgate:
"I wasn't happy with the last outcome, so I was trying to make sure I gave it my all and committed less forward so I am happy with the result. 

On the guys in front of him:
"They were good. They battled a lot there on the kill and a lot there in the second, but they are a huge contributor to wins, special teams, and they did an excellent job. I'm happy with how they played and I'm sure they are too. 

On making the adjustment from few shots in the first to many in the final two periods:
"Just constant mental reminders. It's a bit tougher when you're not facing much action, but you just have to keep reminding yourself what's coming and give yourself some mental ques to stay in it.

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