Arizona State hockey delivered a sigh of relief to a hockey community that’s gone through ups and downs over the past year in losing the NHL and Arizona Coyotes .

The Sun Devils rallied from a three-goal deficit and tied the game thrice before Ryan Kirwan scored the game-winner in overtime to eliminate Minnesota Duluth, 6-5, in Game 2 of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference's quarterfinals on Saturday at Mullett Arena.

“I live in the hockey community and my whole family does. We grew up in the Ice Den and were a big part of the Jr. Coyotes program,” head coach Greg Powers said. “It’s an unbelievable hockey community here. To lose the NHL really sucked. It really sucked for this hockey community and it sucked for so many good people that put blood, sweat and tears in so many ways that kept the Coyotes here. To give that group and community some reprieve and to make them proud of what we’re trying to build here, it means everything.”

ASU generated just enough offense for a 4-3 win in Game 1, but Powers wasn’t convinced of his team’s effort, saying, “I’m proud of them for grinding it out, but I didn’t like our game.”

However, Powers changed his tune on Saturday's performance.

"As pissed off as I was at our guys tonight, I'm 100 times prouder of them tonight," Powers said.

UMD had a strong opening period, scoring three unanswered goals and forcing goaltender Luke Pavicich’s early exit after the first period.

Pavicich had 10 saves in the period, but Powers wanted to inject energy into his lineup with Gibson Homer between the pipes.

“We didn’t have a bad first period, they were opportunistic,” Powers said. “We put a lot of pucks on (Adam Gajan), he was really good. They did a great job finishing chances and had some nice shots that went in.”

The last message Powers told the players between the first and second period was if they get the first goal of the second period, they’re going to win the game.

ASU looked like a different team at the start of the period, and immediately brought the life back into the building. The Sun Devils erased the three-goal deficit within the first five minutes. Artem Shlaine, Dylan Jackson and Noah Beck all scored for the Sun Devils.

UMD wasn’t done, eventually challenging Homer and taking a 4-3 lead from Jayson Shaugabay’s second goal of the game at 11:11 in the second.

ASU's special teams played well in the third period with Bennett Schimek tallying a power-play goal and the equalizer at 5. Dylan Jackson's slashing call left the Sun Devils shorthanded at 16:36, but ASU smothered UMD to force overtime.

The goaltender switch worked in favor of ASU as the defense got sticks on most of UMD's chances and Homer staved off all six shots. ASU had just one chance before defenseman Ethan Szmagaj sent the puck over to Charlie Schoen and Kirwan for the winning shot at 6:08.

"We were talking about it in intermission and no shot is a bad shot," Kirwan said. "I was envisioning that one and it was so fitting that Szmagaj has an assist there in his last game at Mullett."

ASU will advance to the semifinals in St. Paul, Minnesota, next weekend.