(Oxford, OH) The No. 12 Arizona State ice hockey team (16-9-1, 11-5-0 NCHC) collected its third-straight road sweep in conference play with a 4-1 win over the Miami RedHawks (3-21-2, 0-16-0 NCHC) on Saturday night. ASU continued to extend its longest road win streak in program history with six consecutive dating back to the sweep of then-No. 1 Denver. ASU is now tied for first place in the NCHC standings with Western Michigan.
Four skaters, including two defenseman and a first-year Sun Devil, tallied ASU’s four goals. Kyle Smolenopened the scoring on the power play. Sam Courtwas credited with the eventual game-winning goal and the extra insurance was tacked on by Brasen Boser and Cruz Lucius, who lit the lamp for the first time as a Sun Devil.
ASU set a new team record for fewest shots on goal allowed in a game at Miami. The Sun Devils held the RedHawks to a mere 11 shots on goal – the previous low was set at 15 in games against Air Force on Oct. 18, 2019 and then-No. 6 North Dakota at the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame game on Oct. 29, 2022.
Luke Pavicich made his 15th and second consecutive start and improved to 10-5-0 on the year. He made 10 saves through 60 minutes as Miami only tallied 11 shots on goal the entire game.
ASU scored a power play goal for the 10th consecutive game in a streak that includes 15 power play goals. The special teams unit improved to the second-best power play unit in the entire country with a 29.6 percent success rate.
ASU went on a penalty kill nearly three minutes into the game and during the kill, Artem Shlaine was hit near the goal line and ultimately taken off the ice by medical staff. Shlaine’s condition improved immensely after being evaluated by Miami and ASU medical staff off-site.
The Sun Devils scored two goals in the first period after Shlaine’s injury. The first was netted by Kyle Smolen on the power play with assists from Dylan Jackson and Lukas Sillinger at 6:59. The assist by Sillinger was the 100th of his NCAA career that spans 160 collegiate games between Bemidji State and ASU. Last night, Sillinger broke the ASU career record for assists with his 69th.
Near the 15-minute mark of the first period, Sam Court scored ASU’s second goal of the game with assists from Ty Jackson and Bennett Schimek.
Halfway through the second period, Brasen Boser notched the second goal of his NCAA career with an assist by Ethan Szmagaj.
Early in the third period, Cruz Lucius scored his first goal as a Sun Devil with assists by Bennett Schimekand Noah Beck.
UP NEXT
ASU returns home to host No. 5 Denver on Feb. 7-8. Friday’s puck drop is set for 7 p.m. MST and airs on CBS Sports Network.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Paige Shacklett
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