TEMPE -- The No. 13 Arizona State ice hockey team faces off against its second top ten opponent this season as the No. 9 Providence Friars head to the desert on Friday, Nov. 24 and Sunday, Nov. 26. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. MST on Friday and 2 p.m. MST on Sunday. Fans can watch the free ASU Live Stream on Friday and Pac-12 Arizona on Sunday. Both tilts are available on Fox Sports 910, the home of Sun Devil Hockey.
The Sun Devils (9-2-1) and the Friars (8-3-2) have only met once in program history at the Three Rivers Classic in Pittsburgh on Dec. 29, 2017. There, Providence edged ASU, 6-0, to make the all-time record between the two benches, 0-1-0. The series closes out a four-week homestand at Mullett Arena during which the Sun Devils owned a 5-1-0 record against opponents including Stonehill, No. 2 Denver, and Alaska Anchorage.
Last weekend, ASU earned its fourth sweep of the season after taking care of Alaska Anchorage, 4-3 and 3-0. Junior goaltender TJ Semptimphelter collected his seventh career shutout on Sunday and is now one shy of tying ASU alum Joey Daccord's program record of eight. Lukas Sillinger now leads the team with 16 points after a four-point weekend which is tied for 13th in the nation.
SUN DEVIL NOTABLES
ASU has landed in several top-ten spots in NCAA stat rankings, especially within the special teams division. The Sun Devils are ranked fourth in the nation for power play percentage at 29.1 and seventh for goals scored this season. The Sun Devils continued to show off their special teams skills last weekend, scoring three power play goals. Matthew Kopperud notched his 29th career NCAA power play goal, his fifth so far this year. Lukas Sillinger continues to lead the team in power play points with two goals and nine assists after he contributed to Dylan Jackson's goal in game two against the Seawolves last weekend.
DEVILS HAVE GONE SILLY
The Devils silent assassin this season has been senior alternate captain Lukas Sillinger. The Canadian competes on the top line with twins, Ty and Dylan Jackson, and quietly became ASU's leading point scorer. Sillinger has already enjoyed a six-game point scoring streak featuring seven points (Oct. 14-Nov. 3, 2023). After only one game without scoring a point, Sillinger returned to his scoresheet ways and currently rides a four-game point streak, complete with five points in the weekend against No. 2 Denver and a four-point series against Alaska Anchorage. ASU is 2-0-0 this season when Sillinger has a three-point night and 6-0-0 all-time. As part of his current streak (4 games), Sillinger has tallied nine points for a 2.25 point per game average.
RANKED DEVILS
ASU continues its sixth-straight week in the national polls. The Sun Devils jumped up two spots to land at No. 14 when they split the series against then-No. 2 Denver at Mullett Arena. After earning the series sweep against Alaska Anchorage last weekend at Mullett Arena, ASU moved up a spot to land at No. 13 in both polls. The highest national poll ranking ever received by the Sun Devils was No. 9 on Feb. 17, 2020 in the 2019-20 season.
BETWEEN THE PIPES
TJ Semptimphelter is starting his second year at ASU off with a bang and in the first six weeks of play, Semptimphelter has recorded two shutouts. He recorded his first against then-No. 15 Merrimack in a 1-0 overtime victory and his second in Sunday's 3-0 win against Alaska Anchorage. The feat brings his career shutout total to seven (all coming from his time at ASU). He has earned seven wins in nine appearances and currently holds a .778 winning percentage, which is tied for fourth in the nation.
The Sun Devils (9-2-1) and the Friars (8-3-2) have only met once in program history at the Three Rivers Classic in Pittsburgh on Dec. 29, 2017. There, Providence edged ASU, 6-0, to make the all-time record between the two benches, 0-1-0. The series closes out a four-week homestand at Mullett Arena during which the Sun Devils owned a 5-1-0 record against opponents including Stonehill, No. 2 Denver, and Alaska Anchorage.
Last weekend, ASU earned its fourth sweep of the season after taking care of Alaska Anchorage, 4-3 and 3-0. Junior goaltender TJ Semptimphelter collected his seventh career shutout on Sunday and is now one shy of tying ASU alum Joey Daccord's program record of eight. Lukas Sillinger now leads the team with 16 points after a four-point weekend which is tied for 13th in the nation.
SUN DEVIL NOTABLES
- Three Sun Devils logged their first points of this season this past weekend. Ryan Alexander and Brandon Tabakin scored their first goals and Cade Alami tallied his first assist.
- ASU's scoring offense is tied at seventh in the NCAA with 3.6 goals per game average
- ASU is 17-20-1 all-time against Hockey East opponents. This season, ASU swept Hockey East member, then-No. 15 Merrimack at Mullett Arena, 1-0 (OT) and 4-2. Later this season, ASU has the opportunity to face UMass at the Adirondack Winter Invitational and hosts UMass-Lowell in the Desert Hockey Classic in January.
ASU has landed in several top-ten spots in NCAA stat rankings, especially within the special teams division. The Sun Devils are ranked fourth in the nation for power play percentage at 29.1 and seventh for goals scored this season. The Sun Devils continued to show off their special teams skills last weekend, scoring three power play goals. Matthew Kopperud notched his 29th career NCAA power play goal, his fifth so far this year. Lukas Sillinger continues to lead the team in power play points with two goals and nine assists after he contributed to Dylan Jackson's goal in game two against the Seawolves last weekend.
DEVILS HAVE GONE SILLY
The Devils silent assassin this season has been senior alternate captain Lukas Sillinger. The Canadian competes on the top line with twins, Ty and Dylan Jackson, and quietly became ASU's leading point scorer. Sillinger has already enjoyed a six-game point scoring streak featuring seven points (Oct. 14-Nov. 3, 2023). After only one game without scoring a point, Sillinger returned to his scoresheet ways and currently rides a four-game point streak, complete with five points in the weekend against No. 2 Denver and a four-point series against Alaska Anchorage. ASU is 2-0-0 this season when Sillinger has a three-point night and 6-0-0 all-time. As part of his current streak (4 games), Sillinger has tallied nine points for a 2.25 point per game average.
RANKED DEVILS
ASU continues its sixth-straight week in the national polls. The Sun Devils jumped up two spots to land at No. 14 when they split the series against then-No. 2 Denver at Mullett Arena. After earning the series sweep against Alaska Anchorage last weekend at Mullett Arena, ASU moved up a spot to land at No. 13 in both polls. The highest national poll ranking ever received by the Sun Devils was No. 9 on Feb. 17, 2020 in the 2019-20 season.
BETWEEN THE PIPES
TJ Semptimphelter is starting his second year at ASU off with a bang and in the first six weeks of play, Semptimphelter has recorded two shutouts. He recorded his first against then-No. 15 Merrimack in a 1-0 overtime victory and his second in Sunday's 3-0 win against Alaska Anchorage. The feat brings his career shutout total to seven (all coming from his time at ASU). He has earned seven wins in nine appearances and currently holds a .778 winning percentage, which is tied for fourth in the nation.