ASU/U of A – The Battle of Arizona – Round 1 – FIGHT!
I found this game posted as an event on Facebook (by ASU forward Patrick Lind) a few days ago and I had to mark this on my calendar. Not because I wanted to see if there was really hockey in the desert. No, I wanted to attend this game based on the wall postings and the amount of people that were bypassing other parties and events like the FBR Open to come to this game. From what people were posting, this had the makings of an intense rivalry game. I mean they are playing the University of Arizona.
Now, I’ve been to a hockey game of just about every single level of professional and amateur hockey in my lifetime EXCEPT for NCAA hockey (this includes international competitions). Sure I’ve seen the Frozen Four on TV but never in person. I wasn’t able to locate a copy of the NCAA rule book to familiarize myself with the nuances of NCAA hockey. However, I knew most of the differences between the rules of the NHL versus the NCAA (like all players wear helmets with face cages).
When I arrived in the arena the stands were already packed and the standing room only ’seating’ was just about full at the top of the arena. Furthermore, as the Facebook invite stated, there were fans there who made the drive from the University of Arizona for the game and MAN were they LOUD. However, the Sun Devil fans matched and beat those fans at every opportunity.
From the opening face-off U of A had the momentum and played their game. For as dominant as they were, especially on the Power Play Unit, they could never translate that to goals on the score board. The Sun Devils matched them toe to toe defensively, in hitting, and in goals. As the goals for both teams increased, so did the intensity in the game and was matched by the fans at every huge hit, near miss on goals and every score.
This was a pretty even battle across the board until things broke open in the third period and the defense of the University of Arizona Icecats (Icecats? Ok…) kept coughing up puck after puck which led to even and odd man rush breakaways. Eventually, the Sun Devil’s got into a groove and made the….Icecats…pay for their mistakes by scoring three straight goals in a very short span of time.
The crowd, many of which were attending their first Sun Devil’s hockey game ever may have not known all the rules of the game but they did understand two things:
1) This was a rivalry game against the U of A
2) They knew what a goal was and knew exactly what to do when a goal was scored by ASU. Cheer and SCREAM!
By the end of the game, tempers flared to the point where small scraps were started by both teams which was unusual but not a surprise to this reporter based on the hitting and trash talking during the game. However, like all good sportsman both teams lined up and shook hands with one another followed by the entire ASU hockey team saluting all the ASU fans that came out and cheered them on. Beleive me, the team fed off of the near capacity crowd on hand tonight.
I’ll say this, all the new fans that came to the game have got to be hooked on ASU Hockey. Because, after a game like this if they aren’t hooked, they more than likely don’t have a pulse and an undertaker should be called.
Everyone in the area needs to come out and see an ASU Hockey game before the season is over with!
For more information on ASU Hockey please refer to their website:
http://www.asu.edu/clubs/div2hockey/index.html
The Battle of Arizona – Round 1 – Winner – Arizona State University – 5- Icecats – 3
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