TEMPE, Ariz. - PJ Marrocco capitalized on a rebound with just 1:38 left in regulation, breaking a 2-2 tie and lifting 13th-ranked Arizona State to an eventual 5-2 victory over Boston College on Friday night at Oceanside Ice Arena.
Marrocco's goal gave the Sun Devils their first lead of the night before ASU added two empty-netters in the final minute. Minutes before, Arizona Coyotes draft pick Michael Karow rang the crossbar with a one-timer from the high slot that would have restored BC's lead.
Centers JD Dudek and Aapeli Räsänen netted even strength goals in the second period to hand the Eagles a 2-1 lead entering the third period. Anthony Croston's wraparound at 8:46 of the third tied the score before the three late goals paved the way for ASU's 15th win of the year.
BC (6-8-2, 6-1-2 HEA) out-shot Arizona State 37-34, posting a new season-high for shots in a game, and dominated the faceoff circle with a 44-24 edge. Räsänen (14-18), Julius Mattila (15-21), and Christopher Brown (10-15) all contributed heavily at the dot.
Joey Daccord made 35 saves in the Arizona State net to pick up his 15th win of the year, while Joseph Woll stopped 29 shots at the other end. The teams combined to go 0-for-3 on the power play.
SCORING
3:05 2nd, BC Goal (1-0) | After ASU hit back-to-back posts early in the second period, Dudek skated down the right wing in transition and fired a shot high glove side to beat Daccord for his second of the year
5:17 2nd, ASU Goal (1-1) | Dylan Hollman broke up ice during a shorthanded situation and wristed a shot glove side on Woll from the left wing, using a BC defenseman as a partial screen
8:00 2nd, BC Goal (2-1) | Graham McPhee cycled with Räsänen in the left corner as the sophomore cut into the left circle and spun a shot into the upper left corner blocker side from outside the dot
8:46 3rd, ASU Goal (2-2) | Croston skated behind the Boston College net on his forehand and curled around the right post before tucking a shot inside the left pipe before it came off its mooring (the play was reviewed and the goal was awarded)
18:22 3rd, ASU Goal (2-3) | After a defensive miscommunication behind the BC net, Woll denied Brett Gruber's one-timer from the right circle but Marrocco located the rebound and slid the second chance under Woll's pads
19:03 3rd, ASU Goal (2-4) | Croston skated onto a clearance at neutral ice and won a foot-race into the BC zone before collecting an empty-netter
19:31 3rd, ASU Goal (2-5) | Jarrod Gourley found an empty net with a clearance from the right half-boards of his defensive zone
UP NEXT
The Eagles and Sun Devils close the weekend series on Saturday night (Jan. 5) at Gila River Arena in Glendale with a 9 p.m. (ET) faceoff. The game will be televised live on Pac-12 Network and radio coverage begins at 8:45 p.m. (ET) on WEEI 850 AM and BCEagles.com.
