TEMPE – The two top teams in the chase for the Penrose Cup finally clash for the first time this season as No. 12 Arizona State (17-11-2, 12-7-1 NCHC) hosts No. 3 Western Michigan (22-5-1, 15-2-1 NCHC) at Mullett Arena on Feb. 21-22. Before Saturday night's puck drop, ASU will honor eight seniors and graduate players during a Senior Night ceremony. Friday's puck drop is set for 7 p.m. MST and Saturday's starts at 5 p.m. MST.
Both games will stream on NCHC.tv and Friday night's opening round will air on Fox 10 XTRA. Tune in on FoxSports910AM with Sun Devil Hockey Radio hosts Tyler Paley and Alex Coil.
Currently in second place in the NCHC standings, ASU looks to disrupt current first place WMU's attempt to secure the Penrose Cup this weekend. The Broncos need five more conference points to secure the regular season championship - three points are up for grabs during each single game played, six possible over the course of a two-game series.
Securing a top-four spot by the end of the regular season guarantees that ASU will host the first round of the NCHC first round of playoffs on March 14-16. The winners of the best-of-three series will advance to the Frozen Faceoff at Xcel Energy Center in Minneapolis on March 21-22.
HISTORY VS. THE BRONCOS (0-1-1)
The two programs have only met for one series in history played in Kalamazoo, Michigan at Lawson Ice Arena on Feb. 3-4, 2017.
Game one: L, 2-4 (EN):
After tying the game twice in the final two periods,ASU lost a close one, 4-2, against No. 9 Western Michigan on Friday night at Lawson Ice Arena. The Sun Devils generated several scoring chances in an attempt to tie the game for the third time, but WMU freshman goaltender Ben Blacker survived the flurry for the Broncos victory.
Game two: T, 2-2 (double overtime):
On Saturday night, the Sun Devils (10-19-3) closed out NCAA competition with a 2-2 tie against No. 9 Western Michigan at Lawson Ice Arena.
With 25.9 seconds remaining in double overtime, redshirt junior Wade Murphy buried a wrist shot passed Bronco (15-7-4) freshman goaltender Ben Blacker for the theoretical victory. NCAA rules state any game ending after the first overtime will result in a tie.
Through 60 minutes, Daccord made a whopping 47 saves before ultimately totaling a new season and program-high 54 saves (a record that still stands).
WHAT IS THE PENROSE CUP?
The Penrose Cup is named in honor of Julie and Spencer Penrose and awarded to the NCHC's regular-season champion. Mr. and Mrs. Penrose were tremendously successful in the copper mines of Utah, gold mines of Colorado and various businesses in and around the Colorado Springs area in the early 1900s. They shared their wealth with the Colorado Springs community by building such attractions as the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the Broadmoor Hotel and most importantly to the hockey community, the Broadmoor World Arena/Ice Palace. The Broadmoor World Arena was the home of the first NCAA Hockey Championship in 1948 - hosting the first 10 years of the Championship's existence (1948-1957) and then again in 1969. Mr. and Mrs. Penrose also established the El Pomar Foundation, a Colorado non-profit for cultural and civic institutions. Upon their respective deaths, both Mr. and Mrs. Penrose left the majority of their estates to the El Pomar Foundation insuring the foundation would be their living legacy.
In 2011, the El Pomar Foundation played a major role in attracting the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) to the Colorado Springs area by awarding the NCHC a grant to assist in the Conference start up. In addition, the Conference's headquarters are located in the Copper Building on the grounds of the Penrose House, the former residence of Mr. and Mrs. Penrose. Then, in 2013, El Pomar again offered a grant to the NCHC to aid with the design and production of the NCHC's regular-season championship trophy. The NCHC's Board of Directors decided to commemorate the legacy of Julie and Spencer Penrose by naming the trophy in their honor. Copper accents were incorporated into the trophy as a way to pay homage to the element that helped build the Penrose fortune.
SCOUTING THE SERIES
WMU has only two losses in conference play through 18 games played, both occurred in overtime (against Denver and at Colorado College). The Broncos run a tight ship that is both offensive producing and locked down on the defensive end. WMU is backstopped by a tandem goaltender duo comprised of senior Cameron Rowe (a Mike Richter Award semifinalist) and Hampton Slukynsky. They boast the top two goals against averages in the conference with a 1.88 and 1.42, respectively. ASU's Luke Pavicich has the third-best GAA in the NCHC with a 2.33 mark. The Broncos have allowed only 30 goals against in conference play, a league low, and tallied 69 goals, third-highest in the NCHC. WMU is also the least penalized team in conference play and boast the second-best penalty kill in the NCAA in conference and non-conference play combined.
CELEBRATING SENIORS
On Saturday of the series versus WMU, ASU will honor eight seniors and graduates in a pregame senior day ceremony on the ice at Mullett Arena. Captain Ethan Szmagaj, alternate captain Ty Murchison, alternate captain Ty Jackson and his twin, Dylan, Luke Pavicich, Noah Beck, Artem Shlaine and Ryan Kirwan will be recognized. Graduates Lukas Sillinger and Benji Eckerle, although in their final eligible seasons of college hockey, will not take part in the ceremony after doing so at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.
ASU NOTABLES
Senior defenseman Ty Murchison continues his chase of the program record for most blocks in a single season. The record was set in 2018-19 by Brinson Pasichnuk at 74 blocks. Heading into the weekend series vs. Western Michigan, Murchison boasts 71 blocks this season. His previous single season high for blocks was 52 during his freshman year. He's collected 216 career blocks which is 48 shy of the ASU program record set at 264 by Brinson Pasichnuk (2016-20).
DEVILS GOT DEPTH
Down the second half stretch, the Sun Devils have put their full roster depth on display with goals scored by skaters up and down the lineup. In three of the last eight games, ASU's goals have been scored by different skaters totaling 18 goals in that span. In the same span of the past eight games, ASU tallied six goals against No. 6 Denver from five different skaters. Bennett Schimek was the only skater in that game to tally two goals. Three weeks ago in Miami, the Sun Devils tallied seven goals from six different players. In that matchup, Ryan Kirwan was the skater that boasted two goals. Last weekend at Minnesota Duluth, Artem Shlaine tallied a two-goal game on Saturday night.
NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Kirwan was dominant in January, tying for the NCAA lead with 11 goals during the month. He tallied 17 points in nine games to start 2025, ranking second in the NCHC and third in the NCAA in January scoring. Kirwan recorded at least a point in eight of his nine January games, with five multi-point games, including a trio of three-point games. The Penn State transfer also scored a goal in six of his nine games, including four multi-goal games. He averaged 1.89 points per game in January, which was third in the NCHC, while his four power play goals led the league last month.
Kirwan opened January by being named MVP of the Desert Hockey Classic after leading ASU to the title with a four-goal, five-point weekend. That included a hat trick against Robert Morris on Jan. 3, which helped him earn the first of two NCHC Forward of the Week nods during the month. Kirwan helped the Sun Devils to a sweep at St. Cloud State on Jan. 17-18 with a three-goal, four-point weekend, including three points in the series opener and the game-winning goal in the finale. The Hobey Baker Award nominee picked up his second Forward of the Week award after five points against Colorado College, including a career-high-tying four points on Jan. 25 in a 5-4 loss. Kirwan stretched his point streak to five games with two power play goals on Jan. 31 in a win at Miami to close out the month.
Kirwan finished the month with a +9 plus/minus, which tied for third in the NCHC, and fired 35 shots on goal, which was second in the conference in January. His 31.4 shooting percentage was also second in the NCHC. Kirwan now leads the NCHC with 18 goals this season, while his 28 points tie for fourth in the conference.
ARTY - THE TWO WAY CENTER
Through his 20 games played in the conference play this year, Artem Shlaine outpaces all other NCHC skaters in points tallied in conference play. The graduate center boasts 28 points and 13 goals (in conference play) - both marks set the pace for the NCHC. His 1.40 points per game in that same span is also first in the league and his .28 shot percentage is best among skaters who played in 10 or more games.
Best in Class - Shlaine's Dominance in NCHC Play
1st in goals scored
1st in total points
1st in points per game
1st in shot percentage (more than 10 games played)
1st in faceoff wins
2nd in shorthanded goals
Shlaine led the NCHC in points through the month of January with 18. His season total rests at 31 heading into the series versus Western Michigan. His career season high for points is 32 which he recorded in his first season at Northern Michigan (2022-23).
With four points on Friday night at Miami, Shlaine extended his point scoring streak to seven games, which tied for the second-longest point scoring streak in program history. He boasts 16 points during the streak which is the most points in seven consecutive games by a Sun Devil in program history:
Shlaine continued his special teams success in January with one power play goal and two shorthanded. He scored his second shorthanded goal of the year at Miami to close out the month of January. Both of his lamplighters on Saturday vs. North Dakota were scored on special teams - one on the power play and one shorthanded. There are only four skaters in ASU history who have tallied a shorthanded goal and a power play goal in the same game (two occurred in 2024-25):
Shlaine leads the Sun Devils in shot percentage with 24.1 percent. In 24 games played and 32 points this season, Shlaine is over a point per game skater at 1.29 points per game.
At the dot, Shlaine is one of the top faceoff specialists in the NCHC. He is first in the NCHC in faceoff wins during conference play and eighth overall with 262 through 24 games played. He has the most wins in the fewest games among all NCHC skaters. His 54.7 percent success rate ranks 15th in the NCHC.
CAREER MILESTONES
On Friday night at Miami, graduate winger Lukas Sillinger notched two assists within three minutes of a five-minute power play to set a new ASU program record for career assists at 69. The fifth-year forward's career includes two seasons at Bemidji State and three at ASU. His combined career stats spanning 164 NCAA games includes 51 goals and 103 assists. Seventy-three of his 103 career assists occurred at ASU. Sillinger reached 150 career points combined in five years between Bemidji State and Arizona State. The next game he appears in will be his 100th at ASU after surpassing the 150 mark in early January. His 101 points at ASU ranks fourth in the program's all-time career points category.
Longest Point Scoring Streak in Program History
GM PLAYER DATES
9 (16 pts) Josh Doan Feb. 4 - March 11, 2023
7 (16 pts) Artem Shlaine Jan. 10 - 31, 2025
7 (13 pts) Robert Mastrosimone Feb. 17 - March 11, 2023
7 (12 pts) Lukas Sillinger Jan. 25 - Feb. 15, 2025
7 (12 pts) James Sanchez Oct. 18 - Nov. 29, 2019
7 (8 pts) Tim Lovell Jan. 13 - Feb. 10, 2024
PUT THE SPECIAL IN SPECIAL TEAMS
ASU has tallied a power play goal in 12 of the 14 games since the start of the New Year. The 12 games include a total of 16 power play goals with a single game high of four PPG at then-No. 15 St. Cloud State on Jan. 18. The goals were tallied by Lukas Sillinger, Noah Beck, Ty Jackson, and Ryan Kirwan. ASU had success on the power play four weeks ago against the Colorado College Tigers penalty kill which ranked ninth in the NCAA with a 85.9 percent success rate going into the weekend. ASU's power play ranks third in the NCAA, behind only Denver (30.8) and Quinnipiac (31.4), with a 28.4 percent success rate. On the penalty kill, ASU boasted six-straight games and 19 opponent power play opportunities without allowing the opponent to score a power play goal (Jan. 18-Feb. 7, 2025).
THE TWO HEADED MONSTER
Gibson Homer and Luke Pavicich have created the two-headed monster ideal for the grueling schedule in the best conference in college hockey. Homer and Pavicich own a near identical save percentage set at .912 for Pavicich and .913 for Homer.
SMOLEN'S SUCCESS
Kyle Smolen is ASU's swiss army knife. The sophomore forward can compete anywhere in the lineup. He's spent time this season as a second and third line center and filled gaps on the right wing from the first line down to the fourth line. Since the start of 2025, Smolen tallied 14 points in 14 games, blocked 13 shots, won nearly 50 percent of faceoffs taken, and boasted a +6 plus/minus. He's been a positive force for some of the team's top goal scorers who he's shared a line with. When they were linemates, Ryan Kirwan had six goals in four games with four assists by Smolen.
Both games will stream on NCHC.tv and Friday night's opening round will air on Fox 10 XTRA. Tune in on FoxSports910AM with Sun Devil Hockey Radio hosts Tyler Paley and Alex Coil.
Currently in second place in the NCHC standings, ASU looks to disrupt current first place WMU's attempt to secure the Penrose Cup this weekend. The Broncos need five more conference points to secure the regular season championship - three points are up for grabs during each single game played, six possible over the course of a two-game series.
Securing a top-four spot by the end of the regular season guarantees that ASU will host the first round of the NCHC first round of playoffs on March 14-16. The winners of the best-of-three series will advance to the Frozen Faceoff at Xcel Energy Center in Minneapolis on March 21-22.
HISTORY VS. THE BRONCOS (0-1-1)
The two programs have only met for one series in history played in Kalamazoo, Michigan at Lawson Ice Arena on Feb. 3-4, 2017.
Game one: L, 2-4 (EN):
After tying the game twice in the final two periods,ASU lost a close one, 4-2, against No. 9 Western Michigan on Friday night at Lawson Ice Arena. The Sun Devils generated several scoring chances in an attempt to tie the game for the third time, but WMU freshman goaltender Ben Blacker survived the flurry for the Broncos victory.
Game two: T, 2-2 (double overtime):
On Saturday night, the Sun Devils (10-19-3) closed out NCAA competition with a 2-2 tie against No. 9 Western Michigan at Lawson Ice Arena.
With 25.9 seconds remaining in double overtime, redshirt junior Wade Murphy buried a wrist shot passed Bronco (15-7-4) freshman goaltender Ben Blacker for the theoretical victory. NCAA rules state any game ending after the first overtime will result in a tie.
Through 60 minutes, Daccord made a whopping 47 saves before ultimately totaling a new season and program-high 54 saves (a record that still stands).
WHAT IS THE PENROSE CUP?
The Penrose Cup is named in honor of Julie and Spencer Penrose and awarded to the NCHC's regular-season champion. Mr. and Mrs. Penrose were tremendously successful in the copper mines of Utah, gold mines of Colorado and various businesses in and around the Colorado Springs area in the early 1900s. They shared their wealth with the Colorado Springs community by building such attractions as the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the Broadmoor Hotel and most importantly to the hockey community, the Broadmoor World Arena/Ice Palace. The Broadmoor World Arena was the home of the first NCAA Hockey Championship in 1948 - hosting the first 10 years of the Championship's existence (1948-1957) and then again in 1969. Mr. and Mrs. Penrose also established the El Pomar Foundation, a Colorado non-profit for cultural and civic institutions. Upon their respective deaths, both Mr. and Mrs. Penrose left the majority of their estates to the El Pomar Foundation insuring the foundation would be their living legacy.
In 2011, the El Pomar Foundation played a major role in attracting the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) to the Colorado Springs area by awarding the NCHC a grant to assist in the Conference start up. In addition, the Conference's headquarters are located in the Copper Building on the grounds of the Penrose House, the former residence of Mr. and Mrs. Penrose. Then, in 2013, El Pomar again offered a grant to the NCHC to aid with the design and production of the NCHC's regular-season championship trophy. The NCHC's Board of Directors decided to commemorate the legacy of Julie and Spencer Penrose by naming the trophy in their honor. Copper accents were incorporated into the trophy as a way to pay homage to the element that helped build the Penrose fortune.
SCOUTING THE SERIES
WMU has only two losses in conference play through 18 games played, both occurred in overtime (against Denver and at Colorado College). The Broncos run a tight ship that is both offensive producing and locked down on the defensive end. WMU is backstopped by a tandem goaltender duo comprised of senior Cameron Rowe (a Mike Richter Award semifinalist) and Hampton Slukynsky. They boast the top two goals against averages in the conference with a 1.88 and 1.42, respectively. ASU's Luke Pavicich has the third-best GAA in the NCHC with a 2.33 mark. The Broncos have allowed only 30 goals against in conference play, a league low, and tallied 69 goals, third-highest in the NCHC. WMU is also the least penalized team in conference play and boast the second-best penalty kill in the NCAA in conference and non-conference play combined.
CELEBRATING SENIORS
On Saturday of the series versus WMU, ASU will honor eight seniors and graduates in a pregame senior day ceremony on the ice at Mullett Arena. Captain Ethan Szmagaj, alternate captain Ty Murchison, alternate captain Ty Jackson and his twin, Dylan, Luke Pavicich, Noah Beck, Artem Shlaine and Ryan Kirwan will be recognized. Graduates Lukas Sillinger and Benji Eckerle, although in their final eligible seasons of college hockey, will not take part in the ceremony after doing so at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.
ASU NOTABLES
- ASU's goals per game (3.7), shots percentage (11.3), and power play (28.4) are all top 10 in the country.
- ASU's 110 goals overall this season is second in the conference (nine behind conference-leading DU with 119).
- In conference play, ASU leads the nine-team league in goals scored with 77 tallied against NCHC foes. The Sun Devils also set the mark in shots with 645 fired in NCHC play.
- ASU tallied the most shots on goal in a period this season during the third frame vs. No. 6 Denver (23) on Saturday night. Previous high was 18 vs. Omaha on Nov. 15, 2024
- ASU's overtime victory on Saturday vs. No. 6 Denver was the first time this season that the Sun Devils won a game after trailing at the end of the second period
- Saturday vs. No. 6 Denver was the first time that ASU allowed two power play goals in a game since March 1, 2024 vs. Long Island
- UMD's opening goal on Saturday at the 2:52 mark was the quickest goal from the start of the game by an ASU opponent this season. The previous high was set by No. 6 Denver on Feb. 8, 2025
Senior defenseman Ty Murchison continues his chase of the program record for most blocks in a single season. The record was set in 2018-19 by Brinson Pasichnuk at 74 blocks. Heading into the weekend series vs. Western Michigan, Murchison boasts 71 blocks this season. His previous single season high for blocks was 52 during his freshman year. He's collected 216 career blocks which is 48 shy of the ASU program record set at 264 by Brinson Pasichnuk (2016-20).
DEVILS GOT DEPTH
Down the second half stretch, the Sun Devils have put their full roster depth on display with goals scored by skaters up and down the lineup. In three of the last eight games, ASU's goals have been scored by different skaters totaling 18 goals in that span. In the same span of the past eight games, ASU tallied six goals against No. 6 Denver from five different skaters. Bennett Schimek was the only skater in that game to tally two goals. Three weeks ago in Miami, the Sun Devils tallied seven goals from six different players. In that matchup, Ryan Kirwan was the skater that boasted two goals. Last weekend at Minnesota Duluth, Artem Shlaine tallied a two-goal game on Saturday night.
NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Kirwan was dominant in January, tying for the NCAA lead with 11 goals during the month. He tallied 17 points in nine games to start 2025, ranking second in the NCHC and third in the NCAA in January scoring. Kirwan recorded at least a point in eight of his nine January games, with five multi-point games, including a trio of three-point games. The Penn State transfer also scored a goal in six of his nine games, including four multi-goal games. He averaged 1.89 points per game in January, which was third in the NCHC, while his four power play goals led the league last month.
Kirwan opened January by being named MVP of the Desert Hockey Classic after leading ASU to the title with a four-goal, five-point weekend. That included a hat trick against Robert Morris on Jan. 3, which helped him earn the first of two NCHC Forward of the Week nods during the month. Kirwan helped the Sun Devils to a sweep at St. Cloud State on Jan. 17-18 with a three-goal, four-point weekend, including three points in the series opener and the game-winning goal in the finale. The Hobey Baker Award nominee picked up his second Forward of the Week award after five points against Colorado College, including a career-high-tying four points on Jan. 25 in a 5-4 loss. Kirwan stretched his point streak to five games with two power play goals on Jan. 31 in a win at Miami to close out the month.
Kirwan finished the month with a +9 plus/minus, which tied for third in the NCHC, and fired 35 shots on goal, which was second in the conference in January. His 31.4 shooting percentage was also second in the NCHC. Kirwan now leads the NCHC with 18 goals this season, while his 28 points tie for fourth in the conference.
ARTY - THE TWO WAY CENTER
Through his 20 games played in the conference play this year, Artem Shlaine outpaces all other NCHC skaters in points tallied in conference play. The graduate center boasts 28 points and 13 goals (in conference play) - both marks set the pace for the NCHC. His 1.40 points per game in that same span is also first in the league and his .28 shot percentage is best among skaters who played in 10 or more games.
Best in Class - Shlaine's Dominance in NCHC Play
1st in goals scored
1st in total points
1st in points per game
1st in shot percentage (more than 10 games played)
1st in faceoff wins
2nd in shorthanded goals
Shlaine led the NCHC in points through the month of January with 18. His season total rests at 31 heading into the series versus Western Michigan. His career season high for points is 32 which he recorded in his first season at Northern Michigan (2022-23).
With four points on Friday night at Miami, Shlaine extended his point scoring streak to seven games, which tied for the second-longest point scoring streak in program history. He boasts 16 points during the streak which is the most points in seven consecutive games by a Sun Devil in program history:
- Artem Shlaine: 16 points - Jan. 10 - 31, 2025
- Robert Mastrosimone: 13 points - Feb. 17 - March 11, 2023
- James Sanchez: 12 points - Oct. 18 - Nov. 29, 2019
- Tim Lovell: 8 points - Jan. 13 - Feb. 10, 2024
Shlaine continued his special teams success in January with one power play goal and two shorthanded. He scored his second shorthanded goal of the year at Miami to close out the month of January. Both of his lamplighters on Saturday vs. North Dakota were scored on special teams - one on the power play and one shorthanded. There are only four skaters in ASU history who have tallied a shorthanded goal and a power play goal in the same game (two occurred in 2024-25):
- Artem Shlaine, vs. No. 14 North Dakota on Jan. 11, 2025 (L, 4-3 OT)
- Bennett Schimek, vs. Air Force on Oct. 4, 2024 (W, 8-3)
- Robert Mastrosimone, vs. Michigan Tech on Jan. 6, 2023 (L, 4-2)
- Josh Maniscalso, vs. Alaska Fairbanks on Nov. 9, 2019 (W, 4-0)
Shlaine leads the Sun Devils in shot percentage with 24.1 percent. In 24 games played and 32 points this season, Shlaine is over a point per game skater at 1.29 points per game.
At the dot, Shlaine is one of the top faceoff specialists in the NCHC. He is first in the NCHC in faceoff wins during conference play and eighth overall with 262 through 24 games played. He has the most wins in the fewest games among all NCHC skaters. His 54.7 percent success rate ranks 15th in the NCHC.
CAREER MILESTONES
- If he competes in both games this weekend, Artem Shlaine will play in his 150th NCAA game on Saturday
- Ryan Kirwan is one point away from 100 NCAA career points
- It is expected that Bennett Schimek will compete in his 100th NCAA game on Friday
- Noah Beck reached his 150th NCAA game on Friday night vs. No. 6 Denver
- After missing the first six games to a preseason injury, Artem Shlaine wasted no time in taking up space at the top of ASU's scorers list. The graduate center leads the ASU team in points per game with a 1.29 average through 24 games played (13G, 18A). He notched 21 points in the past 12 games including competition against four ranked teams.
- Ryan Kirwan boasts a 1.00 points per game average. He boasts six multipoint games this season
- Bennett Schimek boasts a 1.07 points per game with 30 points through 28 games played (12G, 18A)
- Lukas Sillinger jumped into the point per game pool after a four-point series at Miami three weeks ago. The graduate winger boasts a 1.14 point per game average through 28 games played. His current point scoring streak dates back to Jan. 25 and includes seven games and 12 points (5G, 7A)
On Friday night at Miami, graduate winger Lukas Sillinger notched two assists within three minutes of a five-minute power play to set a new ASU program record for career assists at 69. The fifth-year forward's career includes two seasons at Bemidji State and three at ASU. His combined career stats spanning 164 NCAA games includes 51 goals and 103 assists. Seventy-three of his 103 career assists occurred at ASU. Sillinger reached 150 career points combined in five years between Bemidji State and Arizona State. The next game he appears in will be his 100th at ASU after surpassing the 150 mark in early January. His 101 points at ASU ranks fourth in the program's all-time career points category.
Longest Point Scoring Streak in Program History
GM PLAYER DATES
9 (16 pts) Josh Doan Feb. 4 - March 11, 2023
7 (16 pts) Artem Shlaine Jan. 10 - 31, 2025
7 (13 pts) Robert Mastrosimone Feb. 17 - March 11, 2023
7 (12 pts) Lukas Sillinger Jan. 25 - Feb. 15, 2025
7 (12 pts) James Sanchez Oct. 18 - Nov. 29, 2019
7 (8 pts) Tim Lovell Jan. 13 - Feb. 10, 2024
PUT THE SPECIAL IN SPECIAL TEAMS
ASU has tallied a power play goal in 12 of the 14 games since the start of the New Year. The 12 games include a total of 16 power play goals with a single game high of four PPG at then-No. 15 St. Cloud State on Jan. 18. The goals were tallied by Lukas Sillinger, Noah Beck, Ty Jackson, and Ryan Kirwan. ASU had success on the power play four weeks ago against the Colorado College Tigers penalty kill which ranked ninth in the NCAA with a 85.9 percent success rate going into the weekend. ASU's power play ranks third in the NCAA, behind only Denver (30.8) and Quinnipiac (31.4), with a 28.4 percent success rate. On the penalty kill, ASU boasted six-straight games and 19 opponent power play opportunities without allowing the opponent to score a power play goal (Jan. 18-Feb. 7, 2025).
THE TWO HEADED MONSTER
Gibson Homer and Luke Pavicich have created the two-headed monster ideal for the grueling schedule in the best conference in college hockey. Homer and Pavicich own a near identical save percentage set at .912 for Pavicich and .913 for Homer.
SMOLEN'S SUCCESS
Kyle Smolen is ASU's swiss army knife. The sophomore forward can compete anywhere in the lineup. He's spent time this season as a second and third line center and filled gaps on the right wing from the first line down to the fourth line. Since the start of 2025, Smolen tallied 14 points in 14 games, blocked 13 shots, won nearly 50 percent of faceoffs taken, and boasted a +6 plus/minus. He's been a positive force for some of the team's top goal scorers who he's shared a line with. When they were linemates, Ryan Kirwan had six goals in four games with four assists by Smolen.