TEMPE, AZ –
Michael Callow potted his first career goal late in the second period to pull the Crimson within one but it was not enough as men's hockey fell to the nationally ranked Sun Devils by a score of 5-2 in the Desert Hockey Classic opener. Harvard will close out its trip west with UMass Lowell tomorrow at Mullett Arena.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Crimson generated multiple good shots through traffic in the opening minutes leading to some great early zone time. Harvard put up five shots on goal through the opening five minutes and was awarded a power-play after
Ryan Fine had his stick slashed out of his hands in the slot.
Shortly after the Sun Devils kill,
Mason Langenbrunner was called for a cross-check as the PK unit came out for an early opportunity.
Derek Mullahy and the Crimson defense successfully killed the penalty.
ASU took the lead after Cole Gordon was left open in the slot. The Crimson wasted little time responding after
Ryan Fine threw a puck on net that banked off a stick that was in the crease to tie the game at one apiece.
Fine's first-period tally was his first since Nov. 24 against UMass. The USNTDP product now has sole possession of the most goals by a first-year with three.
Christian Jimenez and
Salvatore Guzzo picked up the helpers for their first points of the season – Guzzo also tallied his first collegiate point with the assist.
The Sun Devils were able to skate into the first intermission with the lead after scoring with 0.1 left in the opening frame. Ryan O'Riley doubled the lead for ASU after converting off the rush to take a 3-1 lead.
Michael Callow pulled the Crimson within one after converting off a beautiful pass from
Zakary Karpa. Karpa slid the puck through the Sun Devils centermen and had to dive to make a tough pass to
Michael Callow who was alone in front. The power-play tally was the first goal of Callow's Harvard career and his third point of the season.
With the Fine and Callow tallies, it marks the second time this season first-years have scored a pair of goals for the Crimson.
ASU potted two more in the third period to seal the deal and head to the finals of the Desert Hockey Classic.
NEXT UP
Harvard plays UMass-Lowell at 5:30 p.m. ET to wrap up its trip to Arizona. The Crimson played the River Hawks earlier in the year in a closed scrimmage to begin the 2023-24 campaign.