(Tempe, AZ) In comeback fashion, the Arizona State ice hockey team (1-1-1) sent No. 10 Michigan (2-1-1) packing its bags back to Ann Arbor, with a 4-3 shootout victory on Saturday night. ASU rookie Cullen Potter scored the sole goal for either team in the shootout.
Four games into the 2024-25 season, graduate transfer Noah Beck introduced himself to Sun Devil fans in style. After the Michigan series, the former Clarkson skater leads the country in total points with one goal and seven assists. He has recorded a point in every single game so far this season. Beck scored a goal and tallied an assist to finish a two-point night on Saturday.
Closely chasing Beck is another transfer in Bennett Schimek who boasted seven points from four goals and three assists through all four games this season.
Down two goals with a minute remaining in the game and on the power play, Noah Beck fired one in the back of the net, assisted by Lukas Sillinger and Cullen Potter. Sixteen seconds later, top freshman prospect Cullen Potter tied the game with a hail mary-esque shot from behind the Michigan blue line to tie up the game with only 44 seconds remaining in regulation.
After 120 minutes of hockey over the weekend, innovation versus tradition continued to battle into extra time with the score locked at 3-3. Neither team found the game-winning goal, and Saturday night technically finished as an NCAA 3-3 tie.
Cullen Potter started the shootout best-of-three lineup and quickly put the Sun Devils up early. Michigan missed all of its shootout attempts.
The penalty kill unit stood tall against Michigan, going 3-for-3, with the help of Gibson Homer, who came up with critical stops during the three penalty kills and the game. Homer finished the night with 24 saves, none bigger than the three saved in the penalty shootout.
Game Notables:
- Cullen Potter completed his first career two-point night with one goal and one assist
- Dylan Jackson has tallied a point in each game so far this season (2G, 3A)
- Gibson Homer made his second start of the season and pushed his season record to 1-1-1 with 24 saves against the maize and blue. Homer has played in three shootouts and ended victorious in each.
- The Sun Devil penalty kill stayed red-hot, going three-for-three against the Wolverines special team
- Noah Beck’s goal at 19:00 in the third followed by Cullen Potter’s goal at 19:16 became the quicked time between two ASU goals this season.
- The Sun Devils were outshot by the Wolverines 34-31. Despite that, ASU outshot Michigan 11-7 in both the first and second period.
- Noah Beck has recorded a point in every single game so far this season.
- Dylan Jackson has recorded a point in every single game so far this season.
- The last ASU shootout win was recorded on February 2, 2024 against Lindenwood
- ASU moves to 0-7-2 all-time against Michigan.
Period Breakdown
Period 1
Early in the third period, the Sun Devils were back on the penalty kill, and seemingly, allowed a goal, but was reverted following a successful challenge for goalie interference by head coach Greg Powers. Seconds later, Arizona State would have a power play opportunity for themselves. Michigan scored with more than 13 minutes left in the final period. After a costly giveaway in Arizona State’s defensive zone, the Wolverines extended their lead. In the final minute of the third period, the Arizona State Sun Devils down two goals, tied the game up off the backs of Noah Beck and Cullen Potter, sending the Sun Devils and a raucous Mullet environment to overtime.
Overtime
Following a scoreless overtime period, and neither team finding the back of the net, the game headed to a shootout. Potter and Bennett Schimek were the only two Sun Devils to score in the shootout, sealing the victory for Arizona State.
QUOTES OF THE GAME
Head Coach Greg Powers
On the series vs. Michigan
“Hell of a weekend, hell of a series. That’s a really good team. We’re going to get better from playing them. I’m really proud of our guys. I felt like we deserved a bounce tonight. We didn’t get many bounces all weekend… and there was never any doubt. Our guys believed the whole way. Even down 3-1, there was genuine belief that we could come back. Great goal to cut it to 3-2 and then obviously we got a big bounce to tie it up and [Gibson Homer] was great in overtime and in the shootout, so it feels really good.”
On the adjustments from game one to game two
“Just consistently putting pucks in behind them and staying above pucks and not letting them get out in transition. We put pucks behind them, we established the forecheck, we had good sticks, and finished some checks here and there. We were really good.”
On the momentum from the win tonight
“I think it’s just the belief. Look, we have some forces out right now, so to come back against that team and do what we did is really big for getting the train back on the tracks. We’ve got to manage pucks better, especially on that third goal. But I’m just proud of the guys. It was a really good team effort and it was great for our fans to get excited about us coming back because we’re not going to be here for another month.”
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Paige Shacklett
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