TEMPE – The No. 18 Arizona State ice hockey team (18-6-6) play in its second-to-last home series of the season this weekend as hosts to Alaska Fairbanks (12-10-2) at Mullett Arena. The games take place on Friday, Feb. 9 and Saturday, Feb. 10. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. MST on Friday night and 5 p.m. MST on Saturday night. Both games can be streamed through Pac-12 Insider and heard on Sun Devil Hockey Radio Network, Fox Sports 910.
The two teams have a long standing record against each other that Alaska Fairbanks currently leads at 4-8-1. The Sun Devils were swept in both meetings last season and have not won a game against the Nanooks since the 2019-20 season when they shut them out, 4-0.
ASU is undefeated in their last three games (2-0-1) and closed out their series against Lindenwood with a dominant 5-1 win last Saturday night. The series contained several career milestones including Matthew Kopperud's 100th career point and Tim Lovell's 24th assist of the season, breaking the record for most assists by an ASU defenseman in a single season. Ty Murchison played in his 100th career game on Friday night and broke the record for most career penalty minutes served by a Sun Devil (210 minutes) on Saturday.
Saturday's night game was also the first game since Dec. 2021 where the Sun Devils were penalized 10 or more times, getting hit with 19 penalties out of 32 total.
TOP IN THE COUNTRY
The ASU team continues to rank among the top in the country in numerous categories:
ASU continues its 17th-straight week in the national polls. Polls placed the Sun Devils at No. 18 after their series against Lindenwood. The highest national poll ranking ever received by the Sun Devils was No. 9 on Feb. 17, 2020 in the 2019-20 season.
RECORD CHASE
Semptimphelter remains in the top ten nationally for best goalie winning percentage with a .696. In mid-January, the Mike Richter Award announced its watch list pool for 2024, listing Semptimphelter as one of 41 NCAA goaltenders in the running for the annual award. The New Jersey native's three shutouts this season is tied for second in the NCAA as he looks to break Joey Daccord's career record for an Arizona State netminder. Homer started in his sixth game this season last Saturday and held Lindenwood to one goal and tallied his first 30-plus save game of his collegiate career. Chase Hamm also saw the ice on Saturday night in the final minutes of the game, marking his first NCAA appearance. Hamm also logged his first career NCAA save moments after stepping onto the ice.
LOVE'IN IT
Defenseman Tim Lovell became one of the key components to the Sun Devils' success this season. He currently ranks tenth nationally for most assists and assists per game with 0.89. Lovell has tallied 25 assists so far and recently surpassed Sun Devil Hockey alum Brinson Pasichnuk's single season record for most assists by a defenseman set in the 2019-20 season. During the Sun Devils' series with Augustana, Lovell lit the lamp twice with a goal in each game. It was the second time this season that Lovell's scored goals in back-to-back games (last vs. No. 2 Denver and Alaska Anchorage). Against Lindenwood, Lovell logged an assist in each game of the series, ultimately breaking Pasichnuk's record.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
Assistant Coach/Player Development Coach Dana Borges
On things the team is working on preparation for Alaska Fairbanks
"I think just mostly being ourselves and we really respect how hard they work and we gotta make sure that we have intensity going into the week so that's a big theme for us is being ready to compete, keeping our intensity high. We want to be peaking Friday and just keep getting better with that compete level everyday."
On last Saturday's game mixing with that intensity
"I think the fans always like stuff like that, it brings some energy and things like that, but it's always good knowing that the guys have their backs and they take care of each other and that's what we're about. We need to make sure we're fighting for each other everyday. When you know that a teammate or your team's got your back that always helps and brings energy and just supporting each other is a really big thing in the process."
On what the mindset going into the final eight games of the season
"The guys know where things are at and what they're up against but it's really staying grounded, staying consistent in the process and what we're doing every day. You know if we get too far ahead of ourselves - it's kind of like driving, you can only see the 200 feet in front of you and if you look too far past it then you might hit a hole. So we just got to keep our eyes forward, focus on the task at hand, practice and the next practice, the game, things like that. I think that's the really big focus. You know, kind of stay where our feet are and just take it as it comes."
On how the new guys to the program grown in the past year
"I feel like they've grown so much this season, at this point of the year no one is new. This is the time of the year where there's no first-years, there's no transfers, there's nothing like that. It's just guys that are stepping up and maintaining roles and we've done a really good job this year. Having injuries and guys finding ways to fill in and do their part to help us get wins and that's a really big thing, checking aside egos and checking aside what I think you should have been or that, it's just being able to do what is necessary to win on a Friday night. Maybe not even on Friday, maybe you might not be playing so what are you doing to help the team get better on a Tuesday, like that's really important for guys that are taking those roles and taking them with pride. You know, you see guys on a Tuesday morning at 10:00 blocking shots, getting in lane. Those are really important things that help us have success and no role goes unnoticed like with Hammer getting in the net on Saturday, like that's awesome for the guys. That's a really big thing because he puts in so much work that no one gets to see, so it's really cool to be able to see him celebrated in that way and his teammates to stand up for it."
Senior Forward Matthew Kopperud
On carrying the energy from last weekend into the next eight games
"I think that's sort of our mindset, whether we have eight games left or we have more than eight games left, if we can play these games the right way I think we'll do just fine and then play more after that."
On what's being emphasized heading into this weekend's series
"Just compete, I mean we all know our record versus Fairbanks in my past three years here so I think if we just play almost how we did on Saturday versus Lindenwood I think we'll do just fine and they won't want to play against us."
On what might have changed in his game in the past few weeks
"I think I've sort of started to have found my game. Before Christmas I was doing fine, but now after I finally have my body fully healthy, like everything feels completely normal, I got comfortable with my linemates. Five on five is clicking a lot more which makes it a lot easier."
Freshman Forward Kyle Smolen
On the biggest difference to how the team played last Friday compared to Saturday
"Just getting the results that we want. First game we didn't get a lot of bounces that went our way and in the second game we got our bounces and we took advantage of it. We scored some goals that were very important to establishing a lead and we kind of ran with it. The first game was hard to find momentum and get a lead and in the second game it was a big emphasis to be able to grab a lead and go.
On the importance of taking big blocks in his game
"One thing I learned in this sport, and it's a great sport, is that there's always something bigger than you and if you want to be a successful player and a successful person in life, you have to sometimes sacrifice stuff you might not always want to do. Blocking shots on the PK (Penalty Kill) is not something you want to do, it's something you need to do. For the guys in the room that have been here, for the coaching staff that has built this program, it's little things. Blocking shots is just part of the job at this point."
On who has taken him under their wing as the season has gone on
"It's always been a tough question for me, there's so many veterans that all are contributing all in the same way. They all hold you accountable and they all care, like enormous amounts. You know, when you mess up if they're not talking to you then something's probably wrong and it's hard to make a mistake and go through the locker room and not have someone come up and tap you on the pads. It's unbelievable what this team is about and it's a great leadership group, so it's hard to pick out just one, they're unbelievable."
The two teams have a long standing record against each other that Alaska Fairbanks currently leads at 4-8-1. The Sun Devils were swept in both meetings last season and have not won a game against the Nanooks since the 2019-20 season when they shut them out, 4-0.
ASU is undefeated in their last three games (2-0-1) and closed out their series against Lindenwood with a dominant 5-1 win last Saturday night. The series contained several career milestones including Matthew Kopperud's 100th career point and Tim Lovell's 24th assist of the season, breaking the record for most assists by an ASU defenseman in a single season. Ty Murchison played in his 100th career game on Friday night and broke the record for most career penalty minutes served by a Sun Devil (210 minutes) on Saturday.
Saturday's night game was also the first game since Dec. 2021 where the Sun Devils were penalized 10 or more times, getting hit with 19 penalties out of 32 total.
TOP IN THE COUNTRY
The ASU team continues to rank among the top in the country in numerous categories:
- Tied-No. 3: ASU has the third-fewest losses in the NCAA at 6
- No. 4: ASU has scored 30 power play goals in 30 games
- No. 7: ASU has scored 102 goals in 30 games so far this season with an average of 3.40 goals per game
- Tied-No. 8: ASU's 18 wins is eighth best in the country and ranks eighth overall for best winning percentage (.700)
- Tied-No. 11: Power play unit converts at a 25.2 percent success rate
- No. 1: Matthew Kopperud has the most powerplay goals across the NCAA this season with 12.
- No. 1: Matthew Kopperud is tied for first in the NCAA for most game-winning goals (7)
- No. 1: Brandon Tabakin is tied for the nation lead with a +24 on the season
- No. 8: Lukas Sillinger has 24 assists and ranks eighth in the NCAA
- No. 9: TJ Semptimphelter remains in the top-ten in the nation for winning percentage (.696)
- No. 10: Tim Lovell's 25 assists ranks 10th in the NCAA with an average of 0.89 assists per game. The mark puts him at third among NCAA defensemen.
ASU continues its 17th-straight week in the national polls. Polls placed the Sun Devils at No. 18 after their series against Lindenwood. The highest national poll ranking ever received by the Sun Devils was No. 9 on Feb. 17, 2020 in the 2019-20 season.
RECORD CHASE
- Tim Lovell is eight points away from breaking the individual single-season record for most points by a defenseman set by Brinson Pasichnuk (37) in the 2019-20 season.
- The Hobey Baker nominees, Lukas Sillinger and Tim Lovell, are currently tied for third most assists logged by a Sun Devil in a single season with 25 each. The record is currently owned by alum Robert Mastrosimone from his 2022-23 season with 31.
- Matthew Kopperud has 12 power play goals so far this season, which is one PPG away from tying his own single-season record that he set at 13 from the 2022-23 season.
Semptimphelter remains in the top ten nationally for best goalie winning percentage with a .696. In mid-January, the Mike Richter Award announced its watch list pool for 2024, listing Semptimphelter as one of 41 NCAA goaltenders in the running for the annual award. The New Jersey native's three shutouts this season is tied for second in the NCAA as he looks to break Joey Daccord's career record for an Arizona State netminder. Homer started in his sixth game this season last Saturday and held Lindenwood to one goal and tallied his first 30-plus save game of his collegiate career. Chase Hamm also saw the ice on Saturday night in the final minutes of the game, marking his first NCAA appearance. Hamm also logged his first career NCAA save moments after stepping onto the ice.
LOVE'IN IT
Defenseman Tim Lovell became one of the key components to the Sun Devils' success this season. He currently ranks tenth nationally for most assists and assists per game with 0.89. Lovell has tallied 25 assists so far and recently surpassed Sun Devil Hockey alum Brinson Pasichnuk's single season record for most assists by a defenseman set in the 2019-20 season. During the Sun Devils' series with Augustana, Lovell lit the lamp twice with a goal in each game. It was the second time this season that Lovell's scored goals in back-to-back games (last vs. No. 2 Denver and Alaska Anchorage). Against Lindenwood, Lovell logged an assist in each game of the series, ultimately breaking Pasichnuk's record.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
Assistant Coach/Player Development Coach Dana Borges
On things the team is working on preparation for Alaska Fairbanks
"I think just mostly being ourselves and we really respect how hard they work and we gotta make sure that we have intensity going into the week so that's a big theme for us is being ready to compete, keeping our intensity high. We want to be peaking Friday and just keep getting better with that compete level everyday."
On last Saturday's game mixing with that intensity
"I think the fans always like stuff like that, it brings some energy and things like that, but it's always good knowing that the guys have their backs and they take care of each other and that's what we're about. We need to make sure we're fighting for each other everyday. When you know that a teammate or your team's got your back that always helps and brings energy and just supporting each other is a really big thing in the process."
On what the mindset going into the final eight games of the season
"The guys know where things are at and what they're up against but it's really staying grounded, staying consistent in the process and what we're doing every day. You know if we get too far ahead of ourselves - it's kind of like driving, you can only see the 200 feet in front of you and if you look too far past it then you might hit a hole. So we just got to keep our eyes forward, focus on the task at hand, practice and the next practice, the game, things like that. I think that's the really big focus. You know, kind of stay where our feet are and just take it as it comes."
On how the new guys to the program grown in the past year
"I feel like they've grown so much this season, at this point of the year no one is new. This is the time of the year where there's no first-years, there's no transfers, there's nothing like that. It's just guys that are stepping up and maintaining roles and we've done a really good job this year. Having injuries and guys finding ways to fill in and do their part to help us get wins and that's a really big thing, checking aside egos and checking aside what I think you should have been or that, it's just being able to do what is necessary to win on a Friday night. Maybe not even on Friday, maybe you might not be playing so what are you doing to help the team get better on a Tuesday, like that's really important for guys that are taking those roles and taking them with pride. You know, you see guys on a Tuesday morning at 10:00 blocking shots, getting in lane. Those are really important things that help us have success and no role goes unnoticed like with Hammer getting in the net on Saturday, like that's awesome for the guys. That's a really big thing because he puts in so much work that no one gets to see, so it's really cool to be able to see him celebrated in that way and his teammates to stand up for it."
Senior Forward Matthew Kopperud
On carrying the energy from last weekend into the next eight games
"I think that's sort of our mindset, whether we have eight games left or we have more than eight games left, if we can play these games the right way I think we'll do just fine and then play more after that."
On what's being emphasized heading into this weekend's series
"Just compete, I mean we all know our record versus Fairbanks in my past three years here so I think if we just play almost how we did on Saturday versus Lindenwood I think we'll do just fine and they won't want to play against us."
On what might have changed in his game in the past few weeks
"I think I've sort of started to have found my game. Before Christmas I was doing fine, but now after I finally have my body fully healthy, like everything feels completely normal, I got comfortable with my linemates. Five on five is clicking a lot more which makes it a lot easier."
Freshman Forward Kyle Smolen
On the biggest difference to how the team played last Friday compared to Saturday
"Just getting the results that we want. First game we didn't get a lot of bounces that went our way and in the second game we got our bounces and we took advantage of it. We scored some goals that were very important to establishing a lead and we kind of ran with it. The first game was hard to find momentum and get a lead and in the second game it was a big emphasis to be able to grab a lead and go.
On the importance of taking big blocks in his game
"One thing I learned in this sport, and it's a great sport, is that there's always something bigger than you and if you want to be a successful player and a successful person in life, you have to sometimes sacrifice stuff you might not always want to do. Blocking shots on the PK (Penalty Kill) is not something you want to do, it's something you need to do. For the guys in the room that have been here, for the coaching staff that has built this program, it's little things. Blocking shots is just part of the job at this point."
On who has taken him under their wing as the season has gone on
"It's always been a tough question for me, there's so many veterans that all are contributing all in the same way. They all hold you accountable and they all care, like enormous amounts. You know, when you mess up if they're not talking to you then something's probably wrong and it's hard to make a mistake and go through the locker room and not have someone come up and tap you on the pads. It's unbelievable what this team is about and it's a great leadership group, so it's hard to pick out just one, they're unbelievable."