Sun Devils Return to Winning Ways in 6-0 Victory Over Denver

November 3, 2024 - Parker Beh

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona State women’s hockey team (3-3-1-0) returned to the Mountain America Community Iceplex (MACU) after a four-game road trip to the St. Louis, Mo., area. The Sun Devils hosted the University of Denver (2-8-0-0) in hopes of putting an end to their four-game losing skid. In the end, sophomore forward Lula Swanson and junior forward Bre Powell both potted two goals in the team’s 6-0 win on Sunday afternoon. 

“We’re definitely back to Sun Devil hockey,” freshman forward Emmerysn Stoddard said. “Coming back and getting that shutout for Quinn [Eatinger] and 6-0 is amazing for us – we really needed this.”  

Stoddard scored the sixth and final goal for ASU at the 1:08 mark of the second period. The Hermosa Beach, Calif., native buried a rebound from the slot top-shelf – it was her first goal in maroon, gold and white. Sun Devils sophomore forward Paige Ring recorded one of her two assists on the night on her teammate’s first career goal. 

“She has a great attitude,” ASU head coach Lindsey Ellis said of Stoddard. “I know that it’s tough mentally to be the extra person and not always rotated in. I thought she did really well on the bench cheering on the team. We put her in and she scored right away, so that was really exciting.”

As Ellis alluded to, the right-handed shot had served as the team’s extra forward when slotted in the lineup. Stoddard took on the same role in the Sun Devils’ shutout victory.

“I think I started crying when it went in the net. It was pretty surreal for me,” Stoddard said. “I’ve never been more excited in my life.”

Powell shared a similar experience last season in her first year adjusting to the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) D1 level. 

“I took a bit to adjust last year when I was coming into college hockey as well. I think she’s adjusting really well,” Powell said. “She’s an all-star and it showed today, so I’m really excited for her to carry that onto our next games.”

Despite constant line juggling amidst Arizona State’s first road trip of the season, Powell and senior forward Sam Murphy have stuck together on the same line throughout six out of its seven games. 

The two roommates combined for a goal twice in the opening period and pushed the Sun Devils ahead 3-0 as the team headed into the second period. Powell deposited a rebound shot coming from Murphy midway through the period. Later, ASU scored its second power-play goal of the period as Murphy found Powell at the right-wing faceoff circle with a high wrist shot that beat Denver’s goalie Avery Valente’s glove.

“Sam and I play really well together,” Powell said. “We read the puck, we read each play, we kind of always have an off-ice relationship and on-ice bond – it really helps our play.”

Swanson’s two-goal afternoon improved her home-ice goal total to three. The second time she lit the lamp was on a two-on-one. Arizona State freshman forward Paige Brien fed Swanson the puck through a Pioneer defender and the sophomore finished it off with a forehand to backhand move and roofed it upstairs.

“I thought she did really well,” Ellis said of Swanson. “After she took a semester off, it’s taken a little bit to get her feet back under her, and today I saw it. I’m ready for her to excel and get better every game.” 

Sun Devils senior forward Sydney Paulsen started the team’s three-goal second period at the 7:37 mark. Freshman defenseman Jorja Dezainde caused a turnover behind Denver’s net. She then found freshman forward Taylor Bierlmeier who put in on a platter for Paulsen to finish all alone, putting her side up 4-0. Dezainde picked up her first point as a Sun Devil on the secondary assist. 

Paulsen and Murphy are now tied for ASU’s lead in goals with five each. 

According to Ellis, a defensive emphasis was implemented at the team’s practices leading up to Sunday’s game, after being outscored 18-6 in St. Louis.

“It’s getting back to our structure. We can’t run around like we did in St. Louis,” Ellis said. “We’re setting things up for a reason, and if we’re not a structured hockey team we see what happens. I thought tonight was a lot better; obviously, there’s still things to work out, but it’s moving in the right direction.”

Arizona State allowed 11 shots on net from the Pioneers, handing junior goalie Quinn Eatinger her first shutout of the season. ASU will look to continue to remain perfect on home ice as they take on the newly created University of Arizona women’s hockey team. Puck drop is set for 7:35 p.m. MST on Nov. 8, 2024, at the MACU.

“I think it’s going to be a really, really good time and good game to watch,” Powell said. “We’re going to bring it to them, we’re going to play our game the way Sun Devil hockey plays their game.”