DURHAM, NH – Despite scoring four goals, the Arizona State men's ice hockey team (9-10-0) fell to the New Hampshire Wildcats (4-13-1) for a series split on Saturday night. ASU grabbed the early 2-0 lead but the game quickly turned into a seesaw match that pushed the showdown into overtime and an eventual 5-4 loss for the Sun Devils.
Four different ASU skaters, including Benji Eckerle, Demetrios Koumontzis, Lukas Sillinger, and Matthew Kopperud, netted goals at Whittemore Center in ASU's first-ever loss to UNH in program history.
Eckerle, Mastrosimone, and Sillinger all completed two-point nights for a combined two goals and four assists.
Next up, ASU has two weeks off before hosting Boston College on New Year's Weekend, December 30-31. The series against BC ignites a five-week homestand at Mullett Arena.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Period
Four different ASU skaters, including Benji Eckerle, Demetrios Koumontzis, Lukas Sillinger, and Matthew Kopperud, netted goals at Whittemore Center in ASU's first-ever loss to UNH in program history.
Eckerle, Mastrosimone, and Sillinger all completed two-point nights for a combined two goals and four assists.
Next up, ASU has two weeks off before hosting Boston College on New Year's Weekend, December 30-31. The series against BC ignites a five-week homestand at Mullett Arena.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Period
- The Sun Devils took the ice with a bang, scoring the initial goal of the matchup just 88 seconds into play. Benji Eckerle was to thank for the early ASU lead as he scored his first goal of the season unassisted.
- ASU killed three man-advantage opportunities for UNH, complete with a shorthanded goal scored by Demetrios Koumontzis with assists from Ethan Szmagaj and Benji Eckerle. The goal is Koumontzis' fifth of the season and 20th of his five-year career at Arizona State.
- ASU outshot UNH 16-11 in the first frame and TJ Semptimphelter made all 11 saves.
- UNH cut the lead in half with a breakaway goal at 4:54 into the second period and would eventually make it a tie game with 69 seconds left in the period. UNH scored the power play goal following a five-minute major and game misconduct assessed to Ty Murchison.
- The shot chart advantage switched into UNH's favor as the Wildcats outshot ASU, 10-7
- UNH took the lead for the first time in the series at 2:15 into the final frame of regulation.
- Lukas Sillinger tied the game at 7:48 in the period with his second goal in back-to-back nights at UNH. He scored the empty net goal on Friday night as part of ASU's 4-1 victory. He was assisted by Jack Judson and Mastrosimone.
- UNH returned fire five minutes later with another goal to steal the lead once again, 4-3.
- The ASU power play unit got to cooking late in the third as Matthew Kopperud netted his second power play goal in as many nights with assists by Mastrosimone and Judson. The goal tied the score at 4-4 and pushed the game into overtime.
- Twenty-nine seconds into the extra time, New Hampshire nets the game-winner to split the weekend with ASU and capture their first win against the Sun Devils in program history.
- The penalty kill squad scored its second consecutive shorthanded goal in as many nights. ASU now boasts three shorthanded goals this season.
- Junior center Benji Eckerle enjoyed the second two-point night of his career against the Wildcats. Eckerle scored the opening goal and assisted on ASU's second goal of the night.
- With an assist tonight, Judson extends his point-scoring streak to three games.