TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona State men's hockey program concluded their third full NCAA Division I season with a historical year of firsts and a new bar set in many statistical categories.
Against all odds, the Sun Devils became the fastest start-up Division I program to qualify for the NCAA Tournament with an appearance in the Allentown Regional. Head coach Greg Powers and the team finished 21-13-1 and were ranked No. 15 in the final USCHO and USA Hockey Magazine/USA Today poll of the season.
Making the NCAA Tournament was one of many successful feats for coach Powers and the rising program.
Season of Firsts
Broken Records
The Sun Devils say good-bye to the five "Founding Fathers" of Sun Devil Hockey who gave the newly instituted hockey program a chance in 2015 -- Anthony Croston, Jakob Stridsberg, Dylan Hollman, Jake Clifford and Jack Rowe. Four of the five depart with not only their undergraduate degrees but also a master's degree in their four-year tenure. All five leave with their bachelor degrees.
They represented a simple motto, "Be the Tradition", and left the program better than they found it.
As those five start the next part of their lives, one more Sun Devil also begins a new chapter of his hockey career.
Junior goaltender Joey Daccord, drafted in 2015, opted out of his senior season to become the first-ever player in program history to sign an entry-level contract. He signed with the team that drafted him, the Ottawa Senators, on April 1. Just five days after the Sun Devils came back from the tournament, Daccord made his NHL debut on April 4 against the Buffalo Sabres, making himself the first Sun Devil to ever play in the NHL.
Despite losing the "Founding Fathers" and Daccord, the staff is bringing in six new Sun Devils for the 2019-20 season including highly sought-after forward Logan Jenuwine, who tallied 60 goals in 59 games, breaking the NAHL record for goals in a season. Forwards William Knierim, Jax Murray and James Sanchez join Jenuwine along with defensemen Jack Judson and Jacob Semik.
More are expected to be named soon.
Fans can follow the Sun Devils in the offseason on Twitter and Instagram at @SunDevilHockey, and fans can renew their season tickets now for the 2019-20 season.
Against all odds, the Sun Devils became the fastest start-up Division I program to qualify for the NCAA Tournament with an appearance in the Allentown Regional. Head coach Greg Powers and the team finished 21-13-1 and were ranked No. 15 in the final USCHO and USA Hockey Magazine/USA Today poll of the season.
Making the NCAA Tournament was one of many successful feats for coach Powers and the rising program.
Season of Firsts
- First NCAA Tournament appearance
- Sun Devils travelled to Allentown for the Midwest Regional where they met up with No. 2 seed Quinnipiac, dropping a one-goal contest 2-1.
- First 20-win season
- Sun Devils moved from 8-21-5 in 2017-18 to 21-13-1
- First CCM/ACHA All-American - Joey Daccord (Second-Team All-West)
- First Mike Richter Award finalist - Joey Daccord
- First Hobey Baker Award nominees - Johnny Walker & Joey Daccord
- First NCAA single-season goal-scoring leader - Johnny Walker (23, 0.72 g/gp)
- First 20-goal scorer in program history
- First NCAA single-season shutout leader - Joey Daccord (7)
- First goaltender to win 20+ games - Joey Daccord (21)
- The Sun Devils captured their first-ever home sweep with back-to-back wins over Alaska Fairbanks for their best start to a season at 2-0
- ASU finished the season with six home sweeps and a 12-2 home record
- The Sun Devils defeated a top-10 team for the first time in program history with a 4-3 overtime win over then-No. 6 Penn State on Nov. 3
- During week 6 of the season, the Sun Devils cracked the USCHO top-20 poll for the first time in program history at No. 18 following their first Big Ten series sweep against Michigan State.
- The Sun Devils swept a Hockey East school for the first time in program history, outscoring traditional powerhouse Boston College, 7-2
- On February 18, the Sun Devils received their highest-ever USCHO ranking at No. 11. On that same day, the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine ranked ASU at No. 10 -- the highest-ever for that outlet as well.
Broken Records
- Program's first 20-win season
- Most wins at home (12)
- Highest ranking (#11-USCHO, #10-USAHM/USA Today)
- Most goals in a season (23-Johnny Walker)
- Most wins in a season (21-Joey Daccord)
- Most points in a season (34-Johnny Walker)
- Most points by a defenseman in a season (30-Brinson Pasichnuk)
- Most shutouts in a season (7-Joey Daccord)
- Lowest single season save percentage (.936) and goals against average (2.35) (Joey Daccord)
- Most team points in a season (289)
- Most double-digit goal scorers in a season (3-Johnny Walker, Brinson Pasichnuk, Dylan Hollman)
- Most team goals scored in a season (109)
- First players to reach 100-games played at ASU (127-Anthony Croston, 101-Brett Gruber, 100-Dylan Hollman, 100-Brinson Pasichnuk)
The Sun Devils say good-bye to the five "Founding Fathers" of Sun Devil Hockey who gave the newly instituted hockey program a chance in 2015 -- Anthony Croston, Jakob Stridsberg, Dylan Hollman, Jake Clifford and Jack Rowe. Four of the five depart with not only their undergraduate degrees but also a master's degree in their four-year tenure. All five leave with their bachelor degrees.
They represented a simple motto, "Be the Tradition", and left the program better than they found it.
As those five start the next part of their lives, one more Sun Devil also begins a new chapter of his hockey career.
Junior goaltender Joey Daccord, drafted in 2015, opted out of his senior season to become the first-ever player in program history to sign an entry-level contract. He signed with the team that drafted him, the Ottawa Senators, on April 1. Just five days after the Sun Devils came back from the tournament, Daccord made his NHL debut on April 4 against the Buffalo Sabres, making himself the first Sun Devil to ever play in the NHL.
Despite losing the "Founding Fathers" and Daccord, the staff is bringing in six new Sun Devils for the 2019-20 season including highly sought-after forward Logan Jenuwine, who tallied 60 goals in 59 games, breaking the NAHL record for goals in a season. Forwards William Knierim, Jax Murray and James Sanchez join Jenuwine along with defensemen Jack Judson and Jacob Semik.
More are expected to be named soon.
Fans can follow the Sun Devils in the offseason on Twitter and Instagram at @SunDevilHockey, and fans can renew their season tickets now for the 2019-20 season.