Hockey, Men's Sports

Sam Harris Erases 2-0 Deficit but DU Falls to ASU in Overtime

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It’s not exactly a secret that Sam Harris is one of the best players on the #3 Denver Pioneers’ (9-4-1, 5-1-0 NCHC) roster, but opposing teams are having a hell of a time trying to slow him down. In game two of the Pioneers’ series with the Arizona State Sun Devils (5-8-1, 3-4-1 NCHC), Harris singlehandedly pulled the Pioneers back into the game with goals in the second and third period, and was one correctly-waved-off goal away from a hat trick that would have given the Pioneers the win. Instead, Harris’ two goals erased an early 2-0 deficit to force overtime, when the Sun Devils finally found the back of the net again with just 20 seconds left in the extra frame to finish off the weekend split.

Game two was the polar opposite of game one’s 7-1 DU blowout. Carmelo Crandell opened the scoring six and a half minutes into the game after DU goalie Quentin Miller misplayed the puck behind his net, before Jack Beck doubled ASU’s lead with under three minutes left in the opening period. It was the first period in weeks where the Pioneers were outplayed and outhustled. The scoreboard after the first period accurately reflected the balance of play.

But as soon as the clock switched from the first to the second period, Harris woke up. Midway through the period, it looked like the Pioneers were about to cut the lead to one on the power play thanks to Harris’ twisted wrister, but ASU challenged the goal, and it was called back for being offside. Unfortunately for DU, it was the correct call, and it remained 2-0. But he would not be denied, as just a few minutes later, he scored at even strength to actually make it 2-1 this time. He added another to tie the game in the third period with an impressive individual effort, cleaning up the rebound of his own shot as he fell to the ice.

After a lackluster start to the game, the Pioneers owned the second and third periods, outshooting the Sun Devils 30-14, including a 20-6 gap in the second period alone. If it wasn’t for a strong bounce-back performance from Connor Hasley in ASU’s crease after surrendering the final three goals a night ago, the Pioneers very well may have blown the game wide open over the final 40 minutes. Instead, Hasley’s steady presence between the pipes kept the Sun Devils from letting the game get out of hand, allowing Cullen Potter to claim the victory for the hosts in the waning moments of overtime. Denver and Harris specifically had plenty of looks, but again, Hasley (or his post) was there to keep the puck out of the back of the net.

While game two’s start left a lot to be desired, the Pioneers largely skated the Sun Devils out of their own building for five of this weekend’s six periods, and a four-point road series against any NCHC team qualifies as a good weekend. Plus, sitting at 5-1-0 in the NCHC with 15 points, the Pioneers enter Thanksgiving Week alone in first place in the conference. For a team with 10 freshmen that has lost to both Lindenwood and Alaska-Anchorage already this season, that’s a fantastic place to be.

Now, DU’s attention turns to a Big 10 team searching for its own identity and some semblance of consistency in the surprisingly unranked Minnesota Golden Gophers. The US Hockey Hall of Fame Game at Ball Arena on Saturday will feature a matchup between DU and a Minnesota team that just split with Penn State after splitting with Long Island last weekend. The Gophers, though, have other losses to Michigan Tech, Boston College, North Dakota, Minnesota Duluth, and Wisconsin on their resume so far, and will come to Denver in desperate need of a signature victory this season. And their matchup with the Pioneers provides them with that exact opportunity.

Plenty of tickets for the US Hockey Hall of Fame Game are still available and can be purchased on Ticketmaster’s website.

Highlights

Top photo courtesy of Denver Athletics

2 thoughts on “Sam Harris Erases 2-0 Deficit but DU Falls to ASU in Overtime”

  2. Hi @Nick Tremaroli – believe the game against Minnesota is on Saturday, not on Black Friday as the article mentions. Thank you!

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