TEMPE – The No. 13 Arizona State ice hockey team (10-3-1) split the series against the No. 9 Providence Friars (9-4-2) on Sunday afternoon at Mullett Arena. Despite the Sun Devils collecting the first goal, the Friars quickly responded with two unanswered goals in the second period to claim the 2-1 win.
ASU goaltender TJ Semptimphelter tallied his 19th career 30-plus save night with 32 stops through three frames. Semptimphelter boasts the third-best winning percentage for netminders in the NCAA with .800. He put up back-to-back nights of 30-plus saves against No. 9 Providence. All of his 30-plus save games this season have been against ranked teams.
The Sun Devils' power play units continue to find success with D. Jackson's power play goal on Sunday. ASU ranks sixth in the country in power play percentage with a 26.6 percent success rate.
Senior forward Dylan Jackson extended his point-scoring streak to four games with his power-play goal tonight. With their assists tonight, Tim Lovell extended his point streak to six games and Matthew Kopperud extended his to five games.
Both teams started the second period with four-on-four hockey due to two penalties called at the end of the first. The Sun Devils were able to find the back of the net less than 30 seconds into the period, however the Friars successfully challenged the goal for offsides keeping the score tied at zero.
After ASU killed off a penalty, the Sun Devils immediately went on their own power play advantage due to a roughing call. ASU's special teams collected the game's first goal thanks to Dylan Jackson. Matthew Kopperud and Tim Lovell both collected assists to the goal. With just under six minutes left in the period, Providence snuck one in to make the game even again at 1-1. The Friars found the net once more before time ran out to make it 2-1.
The Sun Devils called a challenge midway through the third period, looking to get justice for a hit on Dylan Jackson. After official review, the officials confirmed the no-call call on the ice.
GAME NOTABLES
The Sun Devils hit the road for the second time this season next weekend as they face a second future conference foe on the road at Colorado College. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. MST on Friday and 6 p.m. MST on Saturday. The game can be viewed on NCHC.tv (for a subscription fee) and heard on Fox Sports 910, the home of Sun Devil Hockey.
QUOTES OF THE GAME
Head Coach Greg Powers on the game and Providence:
"They're good. We gave them two goals. You have to manage games against teams that good. We had a lead, we started to play downhill, then we turned pucks over, for about two minutes there and they got on our heels. First goal, we had three opportunities to get it out and turn it over and then Murchison went out and it ramped off his stick and they got a lucky break to tie it. The second one, Dowd took a bad angle and got beat, let the guy in behind him and, and they took the lead. So, things that you have to manage to sweep teams that good, we didn't and, and at the end of the day, they held us to one goal and we lost."
On the upcoming games being on the road:
"I think so. I think every stretch for us is defining, it's just the life as an independent, that's why games like today where you feel like you, we shouldn't have won but we could have won. We could have had a different result, we played well enough to get the result, just didn't go our way. So, when you lose one goal games at home, it stings because, what we'd be feeling right now after sweeping such a great hockey team would be incredible. But, we put it behind us and it's a good stretch, but we're gonna just kind of approach it as a defining series. And just control what we can control."
Graduate forward and captain Tyler Gratton
On the game recap:
"I think we just need to stay dialed in for a full 60 minutes. They scored two goals. We just need to keep our foot on the gas pedal throughout the entire game. We kind of gave them the two goals. It's not like they did anything really special. So, I think we can just be more consistent looking at this entire home stand that just wrapped up."
On if the upcoming games are a defining stretch:
"Every weekend is a defining stretch, it doesn't matter who we're playing. We need to show up and play, so we need to win as many games as we possibly can being an independent team if we want a really good chance to secure our own destiny at the end of the year."
ASU goaltender TJ Semptimphelter tallied his 19th career 30-plus save night with 32 stops through three frames. Semptimphelter boasts the third-best winning percentage for netminders in the NCAA with .800. He put up back-to-back nights of 30-plus saves against No. 9 Providence. All of his 30-plus save games this season have been against ranked teams.
The Sun Devils' power play units continue to find success with D. Jackson's power play goal on Sunday. ASU ranks sixth in the country in power play percentage with a 26.6 percent success rate.
Senior forward Dylan Jackson extended his point-scoring streak to four games with his power-play goal tonight. With their assists tonight, Tim Lovell extended his point streak to six games and Matthew Kopperud extended his to five games.
Both teams started the second period with four-on-four hockey due to two penalties called at the end of the first. The Sun Devils were able to find the back of the net less than 30 seconds into the period, however the Friars successfully challenged the goal for offsides keeping the score tied at zero.
After ASU killed off a penalty, the Sun Devils immediately went on their own power play advantage due to a roughing call. ASU's special teams collected the game's first goal thanks to Dylan Jackson. Matthew Kopperud and Tim Lovell both collected assists to the goal. With just under six minutes left in the period, Providence snuck one in to make the game even again at 1-1. The Friars found the net once more before time ran out to make it 2-1.
Keeping the fire power going ??#BeTheTradition /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/6Y39aAxea2
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) November 26, 2023
The Sun Devils called a challenge midway through the third period, looking to get justice for a hit on Dylan Jackson. After official review, the officials confirmed the no-call call on the ice.
GAME NOTABLES
- In ASU's three losses this season, the Sun Devils originally had the lead.
- ASU's record in one-goal games is now 6-2-0 this season, and 2-2-0 when trailing after two periods.
- With a 3.4 goals per game average, the Sun Devils have only been held to one goal two other times this season - in the 1-0 win over No. 15 Merrimack and the 1-1 tie at Miami. ASU's goals per game is tied for 11th in the country.
- ASU led Providence at the dot winning 61.3 percent of the faceoffs. Center Brian Chambers led the team (out of skaters with 10 attempts or more) with a 65.4 percent success rate (17-9). Ty Jackson closely followed, winning 63.6 percent (7-4). Chambers is tied for 13th in the country for faceoffs won (151 wins).
- Both teams had two power play chances, but only ASU capitalized on the opportunity.
The Sun Devils hit the road for the second time this season next weekend as they face a second future conference foe on the road at Colorado College. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. MST on Friday and 6 p.m. MST on Saturday. The game can be viewed on NCHC.tv (for a subscription fee) and heard on Fox Sports 910, the home of Sun Devil Hockey.
QUOTES OF THE GAME
Head Coach Greg Powers on the game and Providence:
"They're good. We gave them two goals. You have to manage games against teams that good. We had a lead, we started to play downhill, then we turned pucks over, for about two minutes there and they got on our heels. First goal, we had three opportunities to get it out and turn it over and then Murchison went out and it ramped off his stick and they got a lucky break to tie it. The second one, Dowd took a bad angle and got beat, let the guy in behind him and, and they took the lead. So, things that you have to manage to sweep teams that good, we didn't and, and at the end of the day, they held us to one goal and we lost."
On the upcoming games being on the road:
"I think so. I think every stretch for us is defining, it's just the life as an independent, that's why games like today where you feel like you, we shouldn't have won but we could have won. We could have had a different result, we played well enough to get the result, just didn't go our way. So, when you lose one goal games at home, it stings because, what we'd be feeling right now after sweeping such a great hockey team would be incredible. But, we put it behind us and it's a good stretch, but we're gonna just kind of approach it as a defining series. And just control what we can control."
Graduate forward and captain Tyler Gratton
On the game recap:
"I think we just need to stay dialed in for a full 60 minutes. They scored two goals. We just need to keep our foot on the gas pedal throughout the entire game. We kind of gave them the two goals. It's not like they did anything really special. So, I think we can just be more consistent looking at this entire home stand that just wrapped up."
On if the upcoming games are a defining stretch:
"Every weekend is a defining stretch, it doesn't matter who we're playing. We need to show up and play, so we need to win as many games as we possibly can being an independent team if we want a really good chance to secure our own destiny at the end of the year."