TEMPE, Ariz. — Sun Devil Hockey (3-3-0) secured the series sweep with another 5-1 victory over University of New Hampshire (2-2-0) at Oceanside Ice Arena.
Four different Sun Devils made the scoresheet, including sophomore forward Matthew Kopperud who notched two power play goals for the second time this year. Graduate forward Colin Theisen registered ASU's first shorthanded goal of the season. Between the pipes, sophomore goaltender Cole Brady posted a season-high 40 saves, with a .976 save percentage.
"It just feels good to get back to .500 and we know that we have a really good hockey team and the best is yet to come," said head coach Greg Powers. "I think we are barely scratching the surface of how good we can be and we expect to win a lot of games this year so this is a weekend with a lot of really good steps in the right direction."
The Sun Devils will go on the road to face the Colgate Raiders next Friday and Saturday. Puck drop is slated for 4:00 p.m. MST both nights.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Period
Head Coach Greg Powers
On playing Colgate next weekend:
"We are 3-3 and I think Colgate lost today. They are 4-1 so they are a good team. They are off to a good start. It's an opportunity to get a really good quality road win on Friday and we will take tomorrow off, get back to work on Monday and look forward to getting on the road together."
On playing at Oceanside:
" It's four down sixteen to go and we are going to miss this place. It's been good to us, we win here and at the end of the day that's all you can ask for out of home ice."
Sophomore Forward Matthew Kopperud
On the team's adjustments:
"I think we just talked as a group before the game, and we knew they were going to come out because they've watched film before so we switched a little bit and it ended up working."
On having Doan and Lovell with him on the power play:
"They're two of the smartest guys I have ever played with. They're going to hit you, you don't have to call for it they know where you are. Timmy can find you, and Doan's vision is just crazy; he can see the puck anywhere and he can still shoot it."
Sophomore Goaltender Cole Brady
On having 20 blocked shots from the penalty kill:
"Penalty kill is just a buy in from the guys, and I am just down there as a last resort. They're the first line of defense and they did a great job getting in the way of the pucks and sacrificing their bodies this weekend."
Four different Sun Devils made the scoresheet, including sophomore forward Matthew Kopperud who notched two power play goals for the second time this year. Graduate forward Colin Theisen registered ASU's first shorthanded goal of the season. Between the pipes, sophomore goaltender Cole Brady posted a season-high 40 saves, with a .976 save percentage.
"It just feels good to get back to .500 and we know that we have a really good hockey team and the best is yet to come," said head coach Greg Powers. "I think we are barely scratching the surface of how good we can be and we expect to win a lot of games this year so this is a weekend with a lot of really good steps in the right direction."
The Sun Devils will go on the road to face the Colgate Raiders next Friday and Saturday. Puck drop is slated for 4:00 p.m. MST both nights.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Period
- Kopperud put ASU on the board half-way through the first period with his fifth power play goal of the season. Freshman forward Josh Doan and sophomore defenseman Tim Lovell earned the apples.
- In his fourth start of the season, sophomore netminder Cole Brady stopped all six shots faced in the first period.
- Freshman defenseman Ty Murchison kicked off the second period scoring for ASU with his first goal of the season. Kopperud and Theisen tallied the assists.
- Theisen netted his first goal for the Maroon and Gold with an unassisted short-handed goal to extend the lead to three.
- With his second point of the night, Lovell found the rebound to put ASU ahead, 4-0. Graduate defenseman Tim Theocharidis earned an assist and Kopperud had the secondary, his second of the night.
- New Hampshire's Harrison Blaisdell gave the Wildcats their first goal of the night five minutes into the third period.
- Kopperud made it a four-goal game with his second power play goal of the night in the final minutes of the third period.
- Brady finished the night posting a .976 save percentage, making a season-high of 40 saves.
- Kopperud now leads the nation in points (12), goals (7), and power play goals (6).
- Doan leads the freshman in points with nine (1G-8A) in six games played.
- The last time ASU had a home sweep was against Alaska Anchorage on Feb. 14/15, 2020.
- Murchison's goal was his first collegiate point.
- Lovell, Thiesen, Doan, and Kopperud each have two multi-point games this season (Oct. 2, 2021 vs UMass Lowell).
- The Sun Devils have scored at least two goals in each game this season.
- The last time ASU scored a shorthanded goal was on March 5, 2021 at Ohio State.
- When scoring four or more goals, the Sun Devils are 3-0-0.
- Thirteen of ASU's 23 goals this season have been on the man-advantage.
- This is the second time this season Kopperud has registered two power-play goals in one game.
Head Coach Greg Powers
On playing Colgate next weekend:
"We are 3-3 and I think Colgate lost today. They are 4-1 so they are a good team. They are off to a good start. It's an opportunity to get a really good quality road win on Friday and we will take tomorrow off, get back to work on Monday and look forward to getting on the road together."
On playing at Oceanside:
" It's four down sixteen to go and we are going to miss this place. It's been good to us, we win here and at the end of the day that's all you can ask for out of home ice."
Sophomore Forward Matthew Kopperud
On the team's adjustments:
"I think we just talked as a group before the game, and we knew they were going to come out because they've watched film before so we switched a little bit and it ended up working."
On having Doan and Lovell with him on the power play:
"They're two of the smartest guys I have ever played with. They're going to hit you, you don't have to call for it they know where you are. Timmy can find you, and Doan's vision is just crazy; he can see the puck anywhere and he can still shoot it."
Sophomore Goaltender Cole Brady
On having 20 blocked shots from the penalty kill:
"Penalty kill is just a buy in from the guys, and I am just down there as a last resort. They're the first line of defense and they did a great job getting in the way of the pucks and sacrificing their bodies this weekend."