TEMPE – The No. 2-seed Arizona State ice hockey team (21-13-2, 16-9-1 NCHC) defeated No. 7-seed Minnesota Duluth (13-19-4, 9-14-3 NCHC), 6-5, in an overtime thriller on Saturday night at Mullett Arena. The victory clinched the NCHC quarterfinal series sweep for ASU, and the Sun Devils advanced to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff in Saint Paul, Minn.
The game started unfavorably for the home side, as UMD surged to a 3-0 lead in the first period. Despite the deficit, ASU was unfazed. Three-straight goals by ASU tied the score in the second period. After trading more goals, neither team could seize the victory in regulation.
The Mullett Arena fans wanted an overtime hero, and they got one in the form of the leading goal-scorer in the NCHC. Ryan Kirwan's 25th goal of the season (second in the NCAA) completed the dramatic comeback and started an epic celebration. Kirwan set a new program record for goals in a single season, surpassing Matthew Kopperud and Johnny Walker's shared record (23).
Kirwan's game-winner also increased his goal-scoring streak to four games. In those four games he has seven points, with five goals in addition to two assists on Saturday night.
GAME NOTABLES
PERIOD BREAKDOWN
First Period
After eight minutes of defensive hockey from both sides, UMD broke the ice on an ASU turnover that gave the Bulldogs a one-on-one with the goaltender to take the lead. Following the opening goal, the game opened up offensively as the Sun Devils had the next 11 straight shots on goal. Despite ASU coming close on several big chances, UMD held off the attack and countered with two more goals late in the period to push the lead to 3-0.
Second Period
Looking for a spark, the Sun Devils inserted Gibson Homer at goaltender to start the second period. This move proved to be successful as the Sun Devils came out with a vengeance. Artem Shlaine got ASU on the scoreboard to start the middle frame on a delayed penalty which breathed life back into Mullett Arena. This was soon followed by Dylan Jackson who cut the deficit to just one. With momentum firmly on its side, ASU pushed for the tying goal. Noah Beck provided the equalizer as ASU had rallied all the way back just five minutes into the second period. Soon after, ASU had a chance to surge in front after UMD was charged with a tripping penalty. The power play couldn't capitalize though, and the Bulldogs scored back to hold a 4-3 advantage heading into the third.
Third Period
At the 9:35 mark of the third, Artem Shlaine notched his second goal of the game to level the score at four. Once again though, UMD had an answer. Dominic James made it 5-4, and ASU would have to respond. An opportunity presented itself in the form of a power play after UMD was tagged with a slashing penalty. Bennett Schimek cashed in on the power play to tie the game at five with 6:38 remaining. UMD received a power play of its own late in the period, but the ASU penalty kill came up big, sending the game to overtime.
Overtime
The Bulldogs were in control to start overtime, but six saves from Gibson Homer kept the Sun Devils alive. At the 6:08 mark, Ryan Kirwan drove through the left circle before sweeping the game-winner through the five-hole, sending Mullett Arena into a frenzy.
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Greg Powers
On the response of the team after going down 3-0
"As pissed off as I was at our guys last night, I'm 100 times proud of them tonight. The resiliency and the no quit. We're all over them, and they go up 4-3, then we tie it a 4-4. They go up 5-4, we tie it at 5-5. The resiliency by Gibson, and those goals weren't on Pavicich. I just wanted to see if I could get the guys a little energy and make a change. Gibson went in, had the big breakaway save and he held us in it in overtime. We were flat to start overtime, and the way Gibson held us in it is incredibly admirable and we found a way."
On the meaning of this victory to the Arizona hockey community
"It means everything. I live in the hockey community, my whole family does. We're up at the Ice Den and a big part of the Junior Coyotes program. I'm close with the guys here with the Junior Sun Devils. It's an unbelievable hockey community here and to lose the NHL really sucked. It really sucked for this hockey community. It sucked for so many good people. Blood, sweat and tears in so many ways that kept the Coyotes here. So many good people that were affected, so to give that community and group of people some reprieve and to make them proud of what we're trying to build here and give them that excitement, it means everything."
On what makes this team special
"We started 3-7-1, and we knew we were so much better than the results we were getting. The run we've gone on since then is pretty special. It's just the fight, the resiliency, the veteran leadership, all that stuff. Just the different ways we've had success this year has been a lot of fun."
Forward Ryan Kirwan
On his overtime winner
"It was just a great play by [Ethan Szmagaj] and [Charlie Schoen] found me. We were talking about it in intermission that no shot's a bad shot, so I was envisioning that one and luckily it worked out. It's so fitting that [Szmagaj] gets an assist there in his last game at the Mullett, so just super happy for him too."
On the team's resilience
"It's huge. We just don't give up, so that was huge for us going into the second period. The coaches came in and instilled some confidence in us and we just ran with it. Credit to the younger guys and everybody for just sticking with it and playing our game."
Forward Artem Shlaine
On playing in a conference playoffs
"Playoffs in general, it's tighter hockey, tighter checking all around the rink. They're playing for their season, we're playing for our season and you can just see it in every battle just how intense every player is. But, credit to our team sticking with it, even though a lot of guys in that locker room haven't been in that spot in a conference playoff, to get it done."
On what it means to send off the fans with a win
"The support today and yesterday, that was the best atmosphere we've had here at Mullett. With the white-out, with all the towels, it was very impressive to see and all the guys are very thankful to the fans this whole year. They gave us a lot of energy in a lot of games when we didn't have it. Hopefully we made more fans this season and they're going to show up next year and keep cheering for the guys."
On the biggest takeaways from this series
"I think we just gained so much experience, our younger guys and the guys who haven't been in the playoffs. Even from the game on Friday, we won but we took a lesson from it. It's tight and we're not going to win a game in one shift. There's no heroes. It's all shift by shift and everyone's got to buy in and play the right way, and the goals will come. So I think that's the biggest lesson that we take in Minneapolis with us."
UP NEXT
Arizona State will play in the NCHC semi-final round at the Frozen Faceoff on March 21 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.
The game started unfavorably for the home side, as UMD surged to a 3-0 lead in the first period. Despite the deficit, ASU was unfazed. Three-straight goals by ASU tied the score in the second period. After trading more goals, neither team could seize the victory in regulation.
The Mullett Arena fans wanted an overtime hero, and they got one in the form of the leading goal-scorer in the NCHC. Ryan Kirwan's 25th goal of the season (second in the NCAA) completed the dramatic comeback and started an epic celebration. Kirwan set a new program record for goals in a single season, surpassing Matthew Kopperud and Johnny Walker's shared record (23).
Kirwan's game-winner also increased his goal-scoring streak to four games. In those four games he has seven points, with five goals in addition to two assists on Saturday night.
GAME NOTABLES
- Artem Shlaine notched two goals on Saturday night for his fifth two-goal game of the season. He extended his point scoring streak to four games and six points (3G, 3A). His 37 points on the season is tied at second on the team.
- With three points throughout the series against UMD, Noah Beck extended his point scoring streak to four games and six points (1G, 5A)
- Ty JAckson notched three assists over the weekend vs. the Bulldogs
- Dylan Jackson scored his first goal since missing a slew of games due to injury. The graduate boasts seven goals this season
- Bennett Schimek notched a goal in both games of the quarterfinal round. His Saturday night lamp lighter was his third power play goal of the season
- Charlie Schoen put up a big weekend over UMD with three points from one goal and two key assists on Saturday night
- Gibson Homer equaled his mark for second-most saves this season with 34 in relief
- Saturday's game was the 10th-straight sellout at Mullett Arena
PERIOD BREAKDOWN
First Period
After eight minutes of defensive hockey from both sides, UMD broke the ice on an ASU turnover that gave the Bulldogs a one-on-one with the goaltender to take the lead. Following the opening goal, the game opened up offensively as the Sun Devils had the next 11 straight shots on goal. Despite ASU coming close on several big chances, UMD held off the attack and countered with two more goals late in the period to push the lead to 3-0.
Second Period
Looking for a spark, the Sun Devils inserted Gibson Homer at goaltender to start the second period. This move proved to be successful as the Sun Devils came out with a vengeance. Artem Shlaine got ASU on the scoreboard to start the middle frame on a delayed penalty which breathed life back into Mullett Arena. This was soon followed by Dylan Jackson who cut the deficit to just one. With momentum firmly on its side, ASU pushed for the tying goal. Noah Beck provided the equalizer as ASU had rallied all the way back just five minutes into the second period. Soon after, ASU had a chance to surge in front after UMD was charged with a tripping penalty. The power play couldn't capitalize though, and the Bulldogs scored back to hold a 4-3 advantage heading into the third.
Third Period
At the 9:35 mark of the third, Artem Shlaine notched his second goal of the game to level the score at four. Once again though, UMD had an answer. Dominic James made it 5-4, and ASU would have to respond. An opportunity presented itself in the form of a power play after UMD was tagged with a slashing penalty. Bennett Schimek cashed in on the power play to tie the game at five with 6:38 remaining. UMD received a power play of its own late in the period, but the ASU penalty kill came up big, sending the game to overtime.
Overtime
The Bulldogs were in control to start overtime, but six saves from Gibson Homer kept the Sun Devils alive. At the 6:08 mark, Ryan Kirwan drove through the left circle before sweeping the game-winner through the five-hole, sending Mullett Arena into a frenzy.
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Greg Powers
On the response of the team after going down 3-0
"As pissed off as I was at our guys last night, I'm 100 times proud of them tonight. The resiliency and the no quit. We're all over them, and they go up 4-3, then we tie it a 4-4. They go up 5-4, we tie it at 5-5. The resiliency by Gibson, and those goals weren't on Pavicich. I just wanted to see if I could get the guys a little energy and make a change. Gibson went in, had the big breakaway save and he held us in it in overtime. We were flat to start overtime, and the way Gibson held us in it is incredibly admirable and we found a way."
On the meaning of this victory to the Arizona hockey community
"It means everything. I live in the hockey community, my whole family does. We're up at the Ice Den and a big part of the Junior Coyotes program. I'm close with the guys here with the Junior Sun Devils. It's an unbelievable hockey community here and to lose the NHL really sucked. It really sucked for this hockey community. It sucked for so many good people. Blood, sweat and tears in so many ways that kept the Coyotes here. So many good people that were affected, so to give that community and group of people some reprieve and to make them proud of what we're trying to build here and give them that excitement, it means everything."
On what makes this team special
"We started 3-7-1, and we knew we were so much better than the results we were getting. The run we've gone on since then is pretty special. It's just the fight, the resiliency, the veteran leadership, all that stuff. Just the different ways we've had success this year has been a lot of fun."
Forward Ryan Kirwan
On his overtime winner
"It was just a great play by [Ethan Szmagaj] and [Charlie Schoen] found me. We were talking about it in intermission that no shot's a bad shot, so I was envisioning that one and luckily it worked out. It's so fitting that [Szmagaj] gets an assist there in his last game at the Mullett, so just super happy for him too."
On the team's resilience
"It's huge. We just don't give up, so that was huge for us going into the second period. The coaches came in and instilled some confidence in us and we just ran with it. Credit to the younger guys and everybody for just sticking with it and playing our game."
Forward Artem Shlaine
On playing in a conference playoffs
"Playoffs in general, it's tighter hockey, tighter checking all around the rink. They're playing for their season, we're playing for our season and you can just see it in every battle just how intense every player is. But, credit to our team sticking with it, even though a lot of guys in that locker room haven't been in that spot in a conference playoff, to get it done."
On what it means to send off the fans with a win
"The support today and yesterday, that was the best atmosphere we've had here at Mullett. With the white-out, with all the towels, it was very impressive to see and all the guys are very thankful to the fans this whole year. They gave us a lot of energy in a lot of games when we didn't have it. Hopefully we made more fans this season and they're going to show up next year and keep cheering for the guys."
On the biggest takeaways from this series
"I think we just gained so much experience, our younger guys and the guys who haven't been in the playoffs. Even from the game on Friday, we won but we took a lesson from it. It's tight and we're not going to win a game in one shift. There's no heroes. It's all shift by shift and everyone's got to buy in and play the right way, and the goals will come. So I think that's the biggest lesson that we take in Minneapolis with us."
UP NEXT
Arizona State will play in the NCHC semi-final round at the Frozen Faceoff on March 21 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.