TEMPE – After playing well on Friday but collapsing in the third period in a 5-3 loss, the Arizona club hockey team responded on Saturday by crushing Arizona State 4-0 at the Alltel Ice Den.
“”It feels great. That’s all I can hope for coming out here, and luckily I saw the puck,”” said goaltender Nick Boddy of his shutout against the Sun Devils. “”We’ve gone through a lot with injuries and eligibility … just pretty much everything has gone against us so far.
“”The puck didn’t bounce our way yesterday and we fell apart in the third because of injuries and fatigue,”” he added, “”but today it all worked out.””
Boddy had 44 saves in his second shutout of the season, with his last coming in a 6-0 home win against Weber State on Dec. 5.
The Icecats got off to an early lead as freshmen Brady Lefferts took advantage of a rebound that came off ASU’s Mark Shacker from a shot on goal by forward Robbie Nowinski. Lefferts scored a goal in each game over the weekend and has seen more ice-time with the injuries to key players.
“”I grew up playing against half of those guys so it was important to play well,”” said Lefferts, who grew up in nearby Anthem. “”I’ve been getting a lot more ice-time and I know there is a bigger role I have to fill; especially with Shupan out. … I know I have to give it my all to help my team.””
In the second period, the Icecats placed great emphasis on getting the puck out of their own zone, which was something they weren’t able to do in the third period of Friday’s game when ASU scored three goals in a three-minute span.
“”What I basically told the guys is don’t give (the Sun Devils) any bones,”” said UA head coach Leo Golembiewski. “”They’re bone collectors. … Don’t give them anything and make them make a play.””
Senior Brandon Robinson made it 2-0 in favor of the Icecats – with five minutes remaining in the second period – on a pass from forward Joe Del Rossi on a shorthanded goal.
Arizona carried that same lead into the second intermission, but the Icecats knew ASU was capable of making a push in the final period.
However, defenseman Zack Stommen connected with a shot from the blue line and netted a power-play goal. Prior to this, ASU committed a roughing penalty on Robinson as he was skating to the bench.
With 5:28 left in the final period, Robinson scored another goal to put the game well out-of-reach as the Icecats completed the shutout.
Arizona played some of its best hockey of the year on Saturday night. They did so despite injuries to five key players, including defenseman Zach Cherney, who was out for Saturday’s game due to a concussion suffered in Friday’s game.
Now the Icecats will attempt to carry this momentum to next weekend, when they head to Utah to take on Weber State.
“”We were without five guys and we shut out Arizona State,”” Golembiewski said, “”but it doesn’t mean anything unless we can build on it against Weber State.””
