(Denver, CO) HOW BOUT THEM DEVILS?!
The Arizona State ice hockey team (6-7-1, 3-3-0) completed the shocking series sweep of the unanimous No. 1-ranked Denver (12-2-0, 2-2-0) with five goals from four different skaters at Magness Arena. The 5-2 win is a benchmark victory and series sweep for the young NCAA Division I program who embarked on its first season in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference this season.
Graduate center Artem Shlaine completed a four-goal weekend with two on Friday and two on Saturday night. He was credited with the game-winning goals in both contests against the unanimous number one team in the country.
The Sun Devils handed the Pioneers their first sweep at home since pre-COVID February 2020 after they fell in a series to Minnesota Duluth. In the four years since then, Denver has won two national championships (2022 and 2024).
Going into the series, Denver was on a 21-game win streak that dated into March 2024. Thanks to eight goals by the Sun Devils over the course of the weekend, ASU pushed DU into a new streak – a two-game losing streak.
With the sweep of their new conference foe the Sun Devils earned six conference points.
PERIOD BREAKDOWN
First Period
Despite outshooting Denver, 12-8, and enjoying the first power play opportunity of the night, the Sun Devils allowed the first goal of the game for the Pioneers on their sole power play chance. ASU carried momentum throughout the frame but DU found a way to score on the man advantage with only eight seconds left in the period. Faceoffs were 6-5 in favor of ASU.
Second Period
After being down one goal, the Sun Devils showed their relentless nature and scored three unanswered lamp lighters within eight minutes. Noah Beck ignited the scoring stream with a power play goal from the blue line nearly four minutes into the frame. Seven minutes later, ASU transitioned out of its zone with a cross-ice pass from Joel Kjellberg to Lukas Sillinger in the neutral zone. Sillinger tapped the puck up to freshman Cullen Potter who tore away uncontended by Pioneer skaters to score a five-hole goal. Less than one minute later, ASU stalled an attempted DU breakout that allowed Ryan Alexander to fire a shot on net. It rebounded and was picked up again by Alexander who wrapped behind the net and shoveled the puck to Shlaine waiting in the slot. The goal by Shlaine was his third of the weekend and put the Sun Devils up, 3-1. DU brought the score within one at the 16-minute mark to end the period, 3-2, in favor of the Sun Devils. ASU outshot DU, 11-6.
Third Period
Three minutes into the period, Shlaine responded to DU’s goal, tallying ASU’s fourth goal of the night with assists by Benji Eckerle and David Hymovitch. The Pioneers pulled their goaltender with four minutes remaining but could not find the back of the net. With two minutes remaining, Bennett Schimek put the nail in the Pioneers coffin with an empty net goal, securing the 5-2 victory for ASU.
UP NEXT
ASU enjoys an off weekend over the Thanksgiving holiday before returning to Mullett Arena as hosts to Minnesota Duluth, Dec. 6-7.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Paige Shacklett
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