TEMPE, Ariz. – Sun Devil Hockey enters their second-to-last home weekend of the 2017-18 season with a two-game series against Quinnipiac on Friday, Jan. 19 and Saturday, Jan. 20. Friday's series-opening match-up will be played at Oceanside Ice Arena, with game two moving to Glendale at Gila River Arena. Limited tickets remain for Friday, while tickets can still be purchased here for Saturday in Glendale.
The Sun Devils (7-13-4) and Bobcats (8-12-3) have now met in three-straight seasons, and will have played one another five times following this weekend.
"This is an exciting month for Sun Devil Hockey with now yet another elite college hockey program coming into Tempe in Quinnipiac," said head coach Greg Powers. "Their success from infancy has been one of the models we've looked at and hope one day to emulate. This is another great opportunity for hockey fans in the Valley come out and see College Hockey at the highest level."
ASU is on fire to start the 2018 part of the season, going 3-1-0 in their last four games. That includes the most recent 4-0 shutout of UMass-Lowell, which was the program's first against an NCAA Division I opponent.
It was also sophomore goaltender Joey Daccord's first-ever collegiate shutout. Daccord recorded 28 saves, becoming the first time in five games that he's had to make less than 30 saves. The Ottawa Senator draft pick now boasts a 7-11-4 record with a .913 save percentage and 3.20 goals against average.
Fellow sophomore Brinson Pasichnuk has now jumped out into the scoring lead for the Devils with six goals and 10 assists, surpassing his point total from his freshman season with 10 games still remaining. He is currently tied for 25th in scoring among defenseman in college hockey, and just two goals out of the lead.
Over the last four games, Pasichnuk has totaled three goals and four assists.
Freshman forward Johnny Walker is also coming off a historical game, as he recorded his first multi-goal game of his collegiate career against the River Hawks. He now has 12 points (7g, 5a) on the season.
In their last three appearances, Quinnipiac owns the split with two victories. The Devils won the most recent match-up, 4-2, in Hamden behind a two-goal game from Anthony Croston to upset the then-No. 17 Bobcats. It was one of the biggest wins in the program's young history.
That game on Jan. 28, 2017 also still remains the most-ever saves in program history, as Daccord recorded 53 overall and 27 in the third period alone.
In 2017-18, the Bobcats are having one of their worst starts in two decades under head coach Rand Pecknold in his 24th season. They're 2-2-1 over their last five games with wins over UCONN and Colgate, but have lost two of their last three to Cornell and Dartmouth.
Q'pac is led by freshman forward Odeen Tufto, who has 20 assists and 25 points overall. He currently leads all NCAA freshmen in assists and second in points.
Sophomore goaltender Andrew Shortridge has been up and down for the Bobcats, posting four total shutouts this season but has also allowed three or more goals seven times.
Backup goaltender Keith Petruzzelli has ties with ASU's Daccord as the last two goaltenders to come out of Muskegon in the USHL. Petruzzelli was also drafted, going 88th overall to the Detroit Red Wings in 2017. He started the Bobcats' most recent game, making 31 saves in a 2-2 tie against Harvard.
Both puck drops this weekend are scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Limited tickets remain for Friday at Oceanside, with tickets for the whole family remaining for the big game on the big stage at Gila River Arena.
The Sun Devils (7-13-4) and Bobcats (8-12-3) have now met in three-straight seasons, and will have played one another five times following this weekend.
"This is an exciting month for Sun Devil Hockey with now yet another elite college hockey program coming into Tempe in Quinnipiac," said head coach Greg Powers. "Their success from infancy has been one of the models we've looked at and hope one day to emulate. This is another great opportunity for hockey fans in the Valley come out and see College Hockey at the highest level."
ASU is on fire to start the 2018 part of the season, going 3-1-0 in their last four games. That includes the most recent 4-0 shutout of UMass-Lowell, which was the program's first against an NCAA Division I opponent.
It was also sophomore goaltender Joey Daccord's first-ever collegiate shutout. Daccord recorded 28 saves, becoming the first time in five games that he's had to make less than 30 saves. The Ottawa Senator draft pick now boasts a 7-11-4 record with a .913 save percentage and 3.20 goals against average.
Fellow sophomore Brinson Pasichnuk has now jumped out into the scoring lead for the Devils with six goals and 10 assists, surpassing his point total from his freshman season with 10 games still remaining. He is currently tied for 25th in scoring among defenseman in college hockey, and just two goals out of the lead.
Over the last four games, Pasichnuk has totaled three goals and four assists.
Freshman forward Johnny Walker is also coming off a historical game, as he recorded his first multi-goal game of his collegiate career against the River Hawks. He now has 12 points (7g, 5a) on the season.
In their last three appearances, Quinnipiac owns the split with two victories. The Devils won the most recent match-up, 4-2, in Hamden behind a two-goal game from Anthony Croston to upset the then-No. 17 Bobcats. It was one of the biggest wins in the program's young history.
That game on Jan. 28, 2017 also still remains the most-ever saves in program history, as Daccord recorded 53 overall and 27 in the third period alone.
In 2017-18, the Bobcats are having one of their worst starts in two decades under head coach Rand Pecknold in his 24th season. They're 2-2-1 over their last five games with wins over UCONN and Colgate, but have lost two of their last three to Cornell and Dartmouth.
Q'pac is led by freshman forward Odeen Tufto, who has 20 assists and 25 points overall. He currently leads all NCAA freshmen in assists and second in points.
Sophomore goaltender Andrew Shortridge has been up and down for the Bobcats, posting four total shutouts this season but has also allowed three or more goals seven times.
Backup goaltender Keith Petruzzelli has ties with ASU's Daccord as the last two goaltenders to come out of Muskegon in the USHL. Petruzzelli was also drafted, going 88th overall to the Detroit Red Wings in 2017. He started the Bobcats' most recent game, making 31 saves in a 2-2 tie against Harvard.
Both puck drops this weekend are scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Limited tickets remain for Friday at Oceanside, with tickets for the whole family remaining for the big game on the big stage at Gila River Arena.