The Sun Devils (8-19-5) have an opportunity to capture one of their biggest wins of the season against the No. 13 Wolverines (16-13-3), who hold a 9-5-1 record at home this season including their most recent sweep of then-No. 1 Notre Dame.
"This is a tremendous opportunity to go and end our season against arguably the team playing the best hockey in the country right now in Michigan," said Powers. "We expect a great environment at Yost and look forward to our guys embracing it."
If ASU could pull of the upset either night, they could potentially ruin Michigan's hopes of all-but-clinching a spot in the NCAA Tournament this weekend. The Wolverines are on the cusp of locking up one of the 16 spots in the national tournament.Sun Devils like freshman Johnny Walker, and sophomores Brinson Pasichnuk and Brett Gruber will attempt to spoil the party.
Walker, who has a goal in the last three games, has been on quite the heater. He's coming off a weekend against Michigan Tech where he totaled three goals and an assist. His 13 goals on the season is tied for the third-most by any freshman in college hockey.
Brinson continues to pace the team in total points with 24 this season, which ranks 7th among all NCAA defensemen. He's totaled 15 points in the last 12 games, and is also on a three-game streak of his own with two goals and an assist.
Fellow sophomore Brett Gruber is also riding a three-game point streak with four assists in the last three games. He also has six assists in the last five appearances.
Michigan's offense is quite potent with their top-two forwards being 30-plus point players, including Philadelphia Flyers' draft pick Cooper Marody and undrafted Tony Calderone.
Puck drop both evening is set for 7:30 p.m. (ET) / 5:30 p.m. (MT) on Big Ten 2 Go App.
SPOILER ALERT
• While these two final games mean nothing more to the Sun Devils than a strong finish for their underclassmen heading into next season, the Michigan Wolverines are attempting to lock up a bid into the NCAA Tournament.
• Michigan is currently ranked No. 13, and while they can still earn an automatic bid with an outright win of the Big Ten Tournament, a sweep this weekend would all but lock them into a top-16 spot for the NCAA tournament.
• The Sun Devils have yet to capture a victory against a Big Ten opponent in program history (0-6-1), and would need at least one to potentially put a wrench in the Wolverines hopes.
PASH BROS
• Sophomore brothers BRINSON and STEENN PASICHNUK have come into their own in year two, both playing crucial roles in their own way for the Sun Devils.
• Defenseman BRINSON leads the team in points scored with 24 through 32 games played, surpassing his freshman performance by 10 points thus far. He ranks tied for 7th among national defensemen in scoring.
• In his last 12 games, he's totaled 15 points (five goals & 10 assists).
• STEENN, who stands nearly six inches taller than his younger brother, collected his first collegiate multi-point game against Yale two series' ago with two assists. He continues to play a huge role on the Devils' third line and plays to the identity of Coach Powers' style -- hard and heavy. Over the last three series, he continues to make his presence felt and has created several opportunities offensively.
MR. 100
• Saturday's finale against Michigan Tech was redshirt senior DAVID NORRIS' 100th career NCAA game.
• He used his century mark milestone to notch two primary assists to nearly rally the Sun Devils' to a comeback victory.
• NORRIS currently ranks tied for 5th on the team in scoring with five goals and nine assists. When he scores a goal, the Sun Devils held a nearly perfect record until his most recent game with a goal. His power-play tally late against Boston University wasn't enough to complete a comeback in their 4-3 loss.
WALKING THE WALK
• Freshman forward JOHNNY WALKER is walking the walk and talking the talk in his first season as a Sun Devil.
• Through 30 games played, he has 20 points behind 13 goals and seven assists.
• His 13 goals are good enough for 3rd among NCAA freshmen, and is just four out of the lead held by Boston University's Shane Bowers.
• WALKER is on a three-game goal streak entering this final weekend of the season, with four goals in that stretch and five total points.
• He has also fired the most SOG on the team by 28 with 118 this season.
SENIOR SENDOFF
• Redshirt senior DAVID NORRIS and graduate transfer GAGE HOUGH wrap up their Sun Devil careers, with each of them experiencing different journeys to this point.
• NORRIS started his NCAA career with American International College during the 2013-14 season before transferring mid-way through his sophomore year to play with his brother, Liam, as part of the ASU club program.
• Graduate GAGE HOUGH started his career at UMass-Lowell before transferring to ASU for the 2017-18 season.
• Through four seasons and 51 games in the NCAA, HOUGH collected 8 goals, two of which he netted with the Sun Devils in the championship qualifying win at the Ice Vegas Invitational.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
• While the freshman class arrives in style, the rising freshmen that are now sophomores continue to thrive in their second season. Four of the top-10 scorers from a season ago were all returning sophomores, including BUSCH, JAKOB STRIDSBERG, BRINSON PASICHNUK and BRETT GRUBER. STRIDSBERG is a junior by eligibility, and a sophomore by NCAA seasons.
• Through 32 games this season, PASICHNUK and GRUBER lead the team in points so far this season.
• JOEY DACCORD continues to give the Sun Devils a winning chance each and every night, boasting a 8-17-5 record, 3.44 goals against average and .910 save percentage -- he leads the NCAA in shots faced & saves.
• So far, defensemen BRINSON PASICHNUK and JAKOB STRIDSBERG continue to thrive from the blue line with 13 goals and 20 assists between the two.