By Jeremiah Sarkett
Special to the State Press
The ASU Ice Devils rumbled into Iowa State Friday night ready to play "Devil Style" hockey.
The Cyclones, the defending national champions, had their hands full as ASU showed early that it is not a pushover, as Iowa State narrowly won 4-2. Ice Devils head coach Mickey Volcan blamed the team's first loss of the season on himself.
"I'll take the blame," he said. "The guys were pumped and came out intense. I needed to calm them down a bit."
The Ice Devils shot themselves in the foot as they committed 10 penalties for a total of 58 penalty minutes. ASU, however, showed that it was no average team as goaltender Dan Woog made several Hasek-like saves to keep the Ice Devils in the game, according to Volcan.
Center Nils Satterstrom was another star, scoringASU's first two goals of the season.
On Saturday, the Ice Devils toned down their emotions and came out of the locker room ready to show 2,200 Iowa State supporters that ASU has a great hockey program. The game started off with Iowa State in charge, scoring the first three goals. However, ASU would storm back, led by an Ian Smith goal (Smith then displayed an intense show of emotion after an Iowa State cheapshot after his goal). His play got the Ice Devils' bench fired up.
"The goal was great," Volcan said, "but the fight afterwards was more important. He got the guys going."
The game ended in an 8-8 tie as Ice Devils winger Mike Barclay scored a breakaway goal late in the contest to tie it up. The game also showcased ASU's great depth, as seven different players scored goals.
Leading scorers for ASU this weekend was Satterstrom (three goals, one assist); Austin Messer (one goal, four assists); Smith (two goals, two assists); and Barclay (one goal, one assist).
"I have four great lines with the guys who are begging for action," Volcan said.
For the first time in team history, ASU went into Iowa State and returned home with at least one point, becoming the only visiting team to ever score eight goals or more against Iowa State.
"We're very excited about this year," Volcan said. "We know we can play. Despite the loss there was a great mood in the locker room."
Volcan also said his expectations are higher now and the team will need to concentrate on more consistency.
"These guys never gave up," he said. "We were never down. (Now) we're looking forward to Colorado State."
