TEMPE, Ariz. — UMD coach Scott Sandelin was asked about his young players’ experience they’ve had winning in junior hockey. He pointed out a key difference, in that junior hockey playoffs are typically best of five.
“You can get away with a bad game in a best of five,” he said.
UMD didn’t play a poor game Friday, but the Bulldogs never led and found themselves unable to overcome a third deficit after bouncing back from the first two. Catch-up hockey is not easy, and it becomes more difficult this time of year.
In a must-win game, UMD changes little. Riley Bodnarchuk is in as the seventh defenseman for Will Francis, but Francis and Joey Pierce only combined to play 14:42 Friday. The other five defensemen — Ty Hanson, Adam Kleber, Aaron Pionk, Owen Gallatin, and Aiden Dubinsky — were close to or over the 20-minute mark (Dubinsky was a shade under 19:30).
Up front, Kyle Bettens draws in and Blake Bechen takes a seat. It’s again not a major lineup change, as Bechen only played 6:43 on Friday. But the more physical Bettens might give Sandelin an option as a bottom-six forecheck figure.
Forward Kyle Smolen picked up an injury and is out, replaced in the lineup by Cole Gordon. Greg Powers juggles his lines a bit as a result.
Adam Gajan vs Luke Pavicich.
Lines?
Lines.
UMD forwards
Menghini – James – Bentz
Plante (Max) – Plante (Zam) – Shaugabay
Molenaar – Smith – Loney
Perkins – Arnott – Bettens
UMD defense
Pionk – Dubinsky
Hanson – Kleber
Gallatin – Pierce
Bodnarchuk
UMD goalies
Gajan – Knapp – Sandy
Arizona State forwards
Kirwan – Shlaine – Schoen
Sillinger – Potter – Schimek
Lucius – Jackson (Ty) – Jackson (Dylan)
Alexander – Gordon – Ness
Arizona State defense
Beck – Court
Boser – Dowd
Murchison – Kjellberg
Szmagaj
Arizona State goalies
Pavicich – Homer – Brice
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