FORT WASHINGTON, MD (Sunday, January 14, 2007) – Navy’s ice
hockey team
turned in one of its best performances of the season Sunday afternoon to
defeat 9th ranked Arizona State, 2-1, at the Tucker Road Ice Rink, giving
the Mids a sweep of their three-game weekend.
With the non-league win, the Midshipmen improved their overall record to
13-6-1 overall, while the ASU Sun Devils dropped to 11-12-1.
For the second consecutive game, a goal from senior Kevin Krmpotich put Navy
in front 1-0 Sunday against Arizona State. Krmpotich recorded his 17th
tally of the season at 4:38 of the first period, assisted by classmate Jay
Alspach and sophomore Charlie Daniel.
The Midshipmen doubled their lead to 2-0 late in the second stanza when
senior defenseman Joe Liles fired a shot past ASU netminder Tyler Gallant at
the 13:43 mark, assists going to Krmpotich and junior Nick Schwob.
Navy’s defense, anchored by freshman goaltender Eric Anderson, kept Arizona
State off the scoreboard until late into the third period, when P.J. Nelson
beat Anderson with a wrist shot at 17:05.
After the Mids were whistled for a hooking penalty with 56 seconds remaining
in regulation time, ASU pulled goaltender Gallant, giving the
maroon-and-gold clad visitors a 6-on-4 on-ice advantage. But Anderson and
his defensive mates shut the door to preserve the exciting Navy victory.
Anderson finished with a total of 34 saves, compared to 40 for Gallant in
the ASU net, as the Mids outshot the Sun Devils, 42-35.
Referee Scott Shalom called a total of 16 minor penalties, nine against Navy
and seven against ASU. The Mids were 0-for-6 on the power play, while the
Sun Devils were 0-for-8.
Navy is now idle until Stony Brook pays a visit to Wells Ice Rink in College
Park, Maryland on Saturday, Jan. 20. The opening face-off is set for 5:15
p.m.
PUCK POINTS: Navy held the opposition to four goals in its three weekend
games, and holding the Sun Devils to a single tally was especially
impressive considering ASU had recorded 17 goals in routing Towson Friday
and Saturday nights, 7-1 and 10-6…penalty kill specialist teams Derek
Johnson and Drew Stoner, and Jay Alspach and Kevin Krmpotich, along with the
penalty kill defensemen, turned in outstanding performances in keeping ASU
0-for-8 on the power play…Liles’ goal was his fifth of the season, along
with 17 assists, putting him in second place among the Mids’ top scorers…ASU
entered Sunday’s game ranked 9th in the latest American Collegiate Hockey
Association (ACHA) poll despite a 9-11-1 record coming into the weekend…the
Sun Devils were cheered on Sunday by members of the D.C. Chapter of the ASU
Alumni Association.
SCORING SUMMARY
FIRST PERIOD
N – Krmpotich 17 (Alspach, Daniel) 4:38
SECOND PERIOD
N – Liles 5 (Schwob, Krmpotich) 13:43
THIRD PERIOD
ASU – Nelson (Lewin, Adams) 17:05
SAVES
Gallant (ASU) 14 12 14 - 40
Anderson (NAVY) 11 12 11 - 34
SHOTS
ASU 11 12 12 - 35
NAVY 15 13 14 - 42