Hockey Falls to #12 Denver in a Heartbreaker at Oceanside

TEMPE, Ariz. – Sun Devil Hockey (7-9-0) battled hard but couldn't hold on against No. 11/12 Denver (10-4-0) who secured the series sweep with a 7-1 win. It's the first time the Sun Devils were swept this season at Oceanside Ice Arena on Saturday night and the first ASU was held to less than two goals.  

"They were just opportunistic" said head coach Greg Powers. "I thought we outplayed them in the second (period), I thought we played well enough to get back in it." 

During what seemed to be a redeeming second period for ASU, the Pioneers took the momentum back quickly.

"They had one scoring chance there in the second and scored," recalled Powers. "I thought it wasn't even a scoring chance but everything was going in."

After entering the third period with a three-goal deficit, ASU couldn't find the back of the net to rally back against the Pioneers. DU added four more goals in the third period to secure the win. 

ASU's lone goal came from sophomore forward Michael Mancinelli who tallied his first of the season at 11:15 into the third period. Linemates Ryan O'Reilly and Chris Grando picked up the assists. 

Sophomore goaltender Cole Brady made the start in net for the Sun Devils for his eighth appearance this season. The New Jersey Devils draft pick made 35 saves, the seventh time this season he's made over 30. 

QUOTES:
Head Coach Greg Powers
On where they go from here:
"We've just got to watch it. We've got a lot of hockey left. The result of that game, the scoreboard, I don't think it was just. I don't think it was a 7-1 game at all. Certainly not saying we deserve to win, but it wasn't a 7-1 game."

On Murchison's penalty:
"I honestly thought that was a clean hit. I don't know why he (Murchison) got a penalty let alone head contact. It was low, it was with the hip. It was just a good hit. Anymore in college hockey, it's like you're not allowed to hit anybody." 

On gaining momentum:
"Everything was going on and when everything was going in, it is what it is. You just got to fight through it. I definitely don't agree with being down 4 on 3 at the end of the game, not like it had an outcome on the game but it would have been nice to try and claw back because we had some good momentum."

On what they will take away from the game:
"There is a series every year that you just want to crumble up and throw out. At the end of the day, last night we went through some really good stretches, tonight we had some really good stretches but it seemed that all of their chances were going in, its tough, its tough for a team to come back from that."

UP NEXT
The Sun Devils continue their home stand at Oceanside Ice Arena as host to Clarkson (9-4-3-0) on December 10-11.