(Omaha, NE) The No. 12 Arizona State ice hockey team clinched home ice for the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s quarterfinal playoff round with an offensive clinic led by rookie center Cullen Potter’stwo-goal night. ASU (19-12-2, 14-8-1 NCHC) defeated Omaha (16-14-1, 12-8-1 NCHC), 4-1, in Friday night’s series opener at Baxter Arena.
With playoff hosting on the line, the Sun Devils needed a dominant performance on the road – something they’ve excelled at in conference play this season. ASU improved its road record to 7-3-1 against NCHC teams. With three conference points secured in the victory, the Sun Devils clinched home ice for the best-of-three NCHC playoffs scheduled for March 14-16.
With two goals on Friday night, Potter tallied four goals in the past two games. He boasts 13 on the season and he’s recorded two consecutive two goal games. He was awarded the game’s first star along with second star Artem Shlaine and third star Joel Kjellberg.
Gibson Homer made his 14th start this season and collected 32 saves against the Mavericks. He allowed only one goal, which Omaha scored on the power play, to improve his record to 7-4-2.
GAME NOTABLES
- Through the first 20 minutes, Cullen Potter, Ty Jackson, and Cole Gordon dominated at the dot, winning every faceoff taken
- Rookie defenseman Joel Kjellberg tallied his second career two assist night
- ASU outshot Omaha, 39-33, while faceoff success was perfect split between the two teams, 50-50
- Artem Shlaine collected his 10th multipoint game of the season. With his goal tonight, he continues his lead of goals scored in conference play at 14 (tied with WMU’s Alex Bump)
- In his first game back from injury, Dylan Jackson tallied an assist
- Bennett Schimek extended his point scoring streak to three straight games which includes four points (1G, 3A)
- Lukas Sillinger’s point scoring streak came to an end on Friday night, but the graduate winger still tied the program record for the longest point scoring streak set by Josh Doan at nine games. Sillinger boasted 15 points in nine games between Jan. 25 vs. Colorado College to Feb. 22 vs. then-No. 3 Western Michigan
- Ryan Kirwan was credited with the game-winning goal (second period)
- ASU has put up over 30 shots on net in the past four consecutive games
GAME BREAKDOWN
The nation’s third-ranked power play unit went to work just three minutes and thirty seconds into the opening frame after an Omaha skater was called for tripping Ty Jackson. ASU opened the scoring with only one second left on the man-advantage with a power play goal from Cullen Potter. He was assisted by Anthony Dowd and Cruz Lucius.
The Sun Devils went on the kill twice in the first frame, allowing one power play goal for the Mavericks to call a tie game, 1-1, by the end of the opening period.
For 17 minutes of the second period, both teams took their chances to break the 1-1 tie but came up empty. With less than three minutes remaining in the frame, Joel Kjellberg tossed the puck on net from the blue line creating a scrum in the midst of the Omaha netminder. Surrounded by three Maverick skaters, Ryan Kirwanand Artem Shlaine bombarded the crease looking to finish. With the netminder down, Kirwan popped a shot high to score ASU’s second goal of the game and take a 2-1 lead going into the intermission.
Through 40 minutes, the shots were even between the two benches at 26 apiece. The Mavericks got the slight edge at the dot, winning 19 of 18 faceoffs in the period.
Seventy seconds into the third frame, Potter tacked on the insurance goal after a neutral zone feed from Bennett Schimek on the wall.
Just past the eight minute mark, certified road merchant Artem Shlaine collected his dues on the road with his 14th goal of the season. The graduate center was assisted by Dylan Jackson – in his first game back from injury – and Joel Kjellberg.
UP NEXT
ASU looks to secure the series sweep over the Omaha Mavericks on Saturday, March 1 at Baxter Arena. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CT/ 6 p.m. AZT. The game streams on NCHC.tv and is available in the Phoenix area on Arizona’s Family channels 3 and 44. Alex Coil and Tyler Paley will call the game on-site on Fox Sports 910AM.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Paige Shacklett
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