TEMPE -- The 2023-24 Arizona State hockey season concluded a nine-year span of independent play in high fashion. The team completed a historic 24-win season, including two holiday tournament championships and multiple player records.
ACADEMICS
Eleven players made the 2024 Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll, part of the 840 total student-athletes across the conference. Any student-athlete on their respective team roster with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.3-or-above, and who has served at least one year in residence at the institution, is eligible for the distinction. Hockey student-athletes named to the academic list include: Ryan Alexander (Liberal Studies), Benji Eckerle (Psychology), Gibson Homer (Economics), Dylan Jackson (Business Data Analytics), Ty Jackson (Business Data Analytics), Ty Murchison (Business (Sports Business), Tucker Ness (Communication), Ryan O'Reilly (Management), Charlie Schoen (Business), TJ Semptimphelter (Finance), Lukas Sillinger (Liberal Studies).
BREAKING CEILINGS
Multiple Sun Devils landed in both the career and single season record books with a successful season in 2023-24. (bold indicates a player on the 2023-24 team)
MONTH-BY-MONTH BREAK DOWN OF THE BEST SEASON OF ASU HOCKEY:
OCTOBER (4-1-1)
The Sun Devils revisited the Arizona State vs. Arizona rivalry on ice to kickstart the 2023-24 season. The two played in an exhibition game as UArizona's team competed at the ACHA Division I level. The Sun Devils stomped the Wildcats, 16-0. ASU faced fierce NCAA competition to start the schedule as hosts of then-No. 15 Merrimack and Northern Michigan in back-to-back weekends. ASU defeated both teams in a four-game sweep for the best start in program history (4-0-0). Through the first two series, ASU outscored its opponents 13-5 while starting netminder TJ Semptimphelter tallied his sixth career shutout. To round out the month, the Sun Devils went on the first road trip of the season in a visit to future NCHC opponent, Miami (Ohio). In game one, the Sun Devils suffered a tough 5-4 overtime loss. The next night, young goaltender Gibson Homer earned his first collegiate appearance and tallied a shootout win (the game ended as a 1-1 tie according to the NCAA).
NOVEMBER (6-2-0)
It was all gas, no breaks the entire month of November for ASU, who first handled Stonehill with a series sweep, 5-4 (OT) and 3-2, to start the month-long home stand. ASU hosted then-No. 2 Denver for the annual throwdown and the Sun Devils came away with a 6-5 overtime win to end a five-game losing streak to the Pioneers. Dylan Jackson tallied a hat trick - ASU's second against DU in program history (last was Johnny Walker in 2019). ASU split the series with DU but went on to win the next three games, including a sweep of Alaska Anchorage (and another Semptimphelter shutout) and a single win over then-No. 9 Providence. In the win over the Friars, Dylan Jackson scored the game-winning goal in extra time.
DECEMBER (4-0-4)
As the holiday season approached, the Sun Devils traveled to Colorado Springs for another future NCHC foe matchup at Colorado College. The two tangled in a 2-2 tie on night one before Semptimphelter hand-delivered the 2-0 victory on Saturday night. With the shutout, Semptimphelter tied the program record set by Joey Daccord for most career shutouts by an ASU goaltender (8). ASU returned home and tallied another two ties against Dartmouth before heading out east to face Robert Morris. ASU swept the Colonials with 4-1 and 8-3 victories. Captain Tyler Gratton scored his first career hat trick on Saturday night as he lifted ASU to eight goals which ties the program record for most ASU goals scored in a single game. Lukas Sillinger issued a five-point night (1G, 4A) to reach 100 career points. He is only the second player in ASU history to score five points in a single game.
The month was punctuated with the lifting of a trophy at the Adirondack Winter Invitational in Lake Placid, NY. ASU defeated Clarkson, 5-2, and tied then-No. 17 Cornell 2-2 before defeating the Big Red in a shootout for the tournament title. Rookie scoring leader Kyle Smolen tallied the shootout winning goal to secure the trophy.
JANUARY (3-3-0)
ASU continued its holiday tournament play as hosts of the Desert Hockey Classic to ring in the New Year. The Sun Devils cruised past Harvard with a 5-2 win to advance to the final round. Against the crimson, ASU's third line of Benji Eckerle, Ryan O'Reilly, and Kyle Smolen shined brightly. O'Reilly and Smolen each tallied two goals, putting Smolen up to four goals in the last three games, not including the shootout game-winner. Next, ASU faced future conference opponent, Omaha, in the championship round, eventually securing the overtime 2-1 victory to lift its first-ever Desert Hockey Classic trophy. The third line continued its heater - both ASU goals against Omaha were scored by third line skaters, O'Reilly and Smolen. ASU climbed the rankings to land at No. 10 in national polls heading into a series rematch with No. 17 Cornell the next weekend. ASU suffered its first overtime loss in Mullett Arena history in night one against the Big Red and dropped game two as ASU was swept for the first time this season. The Sun Devils went on to split the final series of January with first-year team Augustana during which senior Matthew Kopperud secured his 100th NCAA career point.
FEBRUARY (4-1-1)
In a continuation of the homestand, ASU hosted Lindenwood to open the month. The team collected one win and one tie over the Lions. In a highly anticipated matchup, independent rivals Alaska and ASU started the first of four-straight games in a home-and-home series. Sophomore goaltender Gibson Homer earned his first collegiate career shutout in Friday night's 2-0 victory over the Nanooks. Homer made a career single-game high 37 saves as he backstopped the Sun Devils. On Saturday night, ASU's 4-2 victory over Alaska made the Sun Devils one of only seven teams in the country to reach seven wins on the season. In a heated battle for prime positioning in the PairWise, the Sun Devils traveled to Fairbanks, looking for two wins to secure a position on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Hopes were shattered in State 49 as the Nanooks shocked the Sun Devils with a 3-1 loss, ultimately dousing chances of reaching a tournament berth. ASU rallied in night two to secure the 4-3 victory for the series split.
MARCH (3-1-0)
Over Senior Weekend, ASU hosted Long Island and scored eight goals over the two-game series sweep (4-2, 4-3). To close out the season, ASU traveled to Anchorage for the final two games of the four-game series started in November. On Friday night, Lukas Sillinger set a new program record for points in a single season with one goal and one assist against the Seawolves. In the same game, Matthew Kopperud tallied his 40th career power play goal to give him sole ownership of the No. 5 spot in the NCAA's all-time career power play scoring leaderboard. Gibson Homer also set a new career single game high with 39 saves.
ASU finished the historic 24-win season with a 5-2 victory over the Seawolves in game two. Lukas Sillinger extended his new program record with a four-point night and the program's first natural hat trick. Matthew Kopperud finished an unprecedented Sun Devil career while tying the single season goal record with his 23rd on the season. He finished as the No. 4 power play scorer in the NCAA all-time career record books.
MULLETT MANIA CONTINUES
On the home front, ASU finished in the country's top 10 in attendance percentage and ranked No. 5 in total attendance at Mullett Arena. The 5,000-seat Mullett Arena hosted 124,503 fans in 2023-24.
CAN WE GET TO THE FROZEN FOUR?
Hockey is a sport where anyone can get hot. In the eight Frozen Fours since ASU started competing at the NCAA level, 15 teams have made the Frozen Four, including NCHC members North Dakota, Denver, St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth.
Boston College (2024, 2017, 2016)
Boston University (2024, 2023)
Denver (2024, 2022, 2019, 2016)
Harvard (2017)
Michigan (2024, 2023, 2022, 2018)
Minnesota (2023, 2022)
Minnesota Duluth (2021, 2019, 2018, 2017)
Minnesota State (2022, 2021)
North Dakota (2016)
Notre Dame (2018, 2017)
Ohio State (2018)
Providence (2019)
Quinnipiac (2023, 2016)
St. Cloud State (2021)
UMASS (2021, 2019)
ACADEMICS
Eleven players made the 2024 Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll, part of the 840 total student-athletes across the conference. Any student-athlete on their respective team roster with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.3-or-above, and who has served at least one year in residence at the institution, is eligible for the distinction. Hockey student-athletes named to the academic list include: Ryan Alexander (Liberal Studies), Benji Eckerle (Psychology), Gibson Homer (Economics), Dylan Jackson (Business Data Analytics), Ty Jackson (Business Data Analytics), Ty Murchison (Business (Sports Business), Tucker Ness (Communication), Ryan O'Reilly (Management), Charlie Schoen (Business), TJ Semptimphelter (Finance), Lukas Sillinger (Liberal Studies).
BREAKING CEILINGS
Multiple Sun Devils landed in both the career and single season record books with a successful season in 2023-24. (bold indicates a player on the 2023-24 team)
Career Points
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Single Season Points
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Career Goals:
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Single Season Goals
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Career Assists:
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Single Season Assists
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Career Game-Winning Goals
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Single Season Game-Winning Goals
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Career Power Play Goals
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Single Season Power Play Goals
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Career Points by a Defenseman
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Single Season Points by a Defenseman
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Career Assists by a Defenseman
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Single Season Assists by a Defenseman
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Career Plus/Minus
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Single Season Plus/Minus
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MONTH-BY-MONTH BREAK DOWN OF THE BEST SEASON OF ASU HOCKEY:
OCTOBER (4-1-1)
The Sun Devils revisited the Arizona State vs. Arizona rivalry on ice to kickstart the 2023-24 season. The two played in an exhibition game as UArizona's team competed at the ACHA Division I level. The Sun Devils stomped the Wildcats, 16-0. ASU faced fierce NCAA competition to start the schedule as hosts of then-No. 15 Merrimack and Northern Michigan in back-to-back weekends. ASU defeated both teams in a four-game sweep for the best start in program history (4-0-0). Through the first two series, ASU outscored its opponents 13-5 while starting netminder TJ Semptimphelter tallied his sixth career shutout. To round out the month, the Sun Devils went on the first road trip of the season in a visit to future NCHC opponent, Miami (Ohio). In game one, the Sun Devils suffered a tough 5-4 overtime loss. The next night, young goaltender Gibson Homer earned his first collegiate appearance and tallied a shootout win (the game ended as a 1-1 tie according to the NCAA).
NOVEMBER (6-2-0)
It was all gas, no breaks the entire month of November for ASU, who first handled Stonehill with a series sweep, 5-4 (OT) and 3-2, to start the month-long home stand. ASU hosted then-No. 2 Denver for the annual throwdown and the Sun Devils came away with a 6-5 overtime win to end a five-game losing streak to the Pioneers. Dylan Jackson tallied a hat trick - ASU's second against DU in program history (last was Johnny Walker in 2019). ASU split the series with DU but went on to win the next three games, including a sweep of Alaska Anchorage (and another Semptimphelter shutout) and a single win over then-No. 9 Providence. In the win over the Friars, Dylan Jackson scored the game-winning goal in extra time.
DECEMBER (4-0-4)
As the holiday season approached, the Sun Devils traveled to Colorado Springs for another future NCHC foe matchup at Colorado College. The two tangled in a 2-2 tie on night one before Semptimphelter hand-delivered the 2-0 victory on Saturday night. With the shutout, Semptimphelter tied the program record set by Joey Daccord for most career shutouts by an ASU goaltender (8). ASU returned home and tallied another two ties against Dartmouth before heading out east to face Robert Morris. ASU swept the Colonials with 4-1 and 8-3 victories. Captain Tyler Gratton scored his first career hat trick on Saturday night as he lifted ASU to eight goals which ties the program record for most ASU goals scored in a single game. Lukas Sillinger issued a five-point night (1G, 4A) to reach 100 career points. He is only the second player in ASU history to score five points in a single game.
The month was punctuated with the lifting of a trophy at the Adirondack Winter Invitational in Lake Placid, NY. ASU defeated Clarkson, 5-2, and tied then-No. 17 Cornell 2-2 before defeating the Big Red in a shootout for the tournament title. Rookie scoring leader Kyle Smolen tallied the shootout winning goal to secure the trophy.
JANUARY (3-3-0)
ASU continued its holiday tournament play as hosts of the Desert Hockey Classic to ring in the New Year. The Sun Devils cruised past Harvard with a 5-2 win to advance to the final round. Against the crimson, ASU's third line of Benji Eckerle, Ryan O'Reilly, and Kyle Smolen shined brightly. O'Reilly and Smolen each tallied two goals, putting Smolen up to four goals in the last three games, not including the shootout game-winner. Next, ASU faced future conference opponent, Omaha, in the championship round, eventually securing the overtime 2-1 victory to lift its first-ever Desert Hockey Classic trophy. The third line continued its heater - both ASU goals against Omaha were scored by third line skaters, O'Reilly and Smolen. ASU climbed the rankings to land at No. 10 in national polls heading into a series rematch with No. 17 Cornell the next weekend. ASU suffered its first overtime loss in Mullett Arena history in night one against the Big Red and dropped game two as ASU was swept for the first time this season. The Sun Devils went on to split the final series of January with first-year team Augustana during which senior Matthew Kopperud secured his 100th NCAA career point.
FEBRUARY (4-1-1)
In a continuation of the homestand, ASU hosted Lindenwood to open the month. The team collected one win and one tie over the Lions. In a highly anticipated matchup, independent rivals Alaska and ASU started the first of four-straight games in a home-and-home series. Sophomore goaltender Gibson Homer earned his first collegiate career shutout in Friday night's 2-0 victory over the Nanooks. Homer made a career single-game high 37 saves as he backstopped the Sun Devils. On Saturday night, ASU's 4-2 victory over Alaska made the Sun Devils one of only seven teams in the country to reach seven wins on the season. In a heated battle for prime positioning in the PairWise, the Sun Devils traveled to Fairbanks, looking for two wins to secure a position on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Hopes were shattered in State 49 as the Nanooks shocked the Sun Devils with a 3-1 loss, ultimately dousing chances of reaching a tournament berth. ASU rallied in night two to secure the 4-3 victory for the series split.
MARCH (3-1-0)
Over Senior Weekend, ASU hosted Long Island and scored eight goals over the two-game series sweep (4-2, 4-3). To close out the season, ASU traveled to Anchorage for the final two games of the four-game series started in November. On Friday night, Lukas Sillinger set a new program record for points in a single season with one goal and one assist against the Seawolves. In the same game, Matthew Kopperud tallied his 40th career power play goal to give him sole ownership of the No. 5 spot in the NCAA's all-time career power play scoring leaderboard. Gibson Homer also set a new career single game high with 39 saves.
ASU finished the historic 24-win season with a 5-2 victory over the Seawolves in game two. Lukas Sillinger extended his new program record with a four-point night and the program's first natural hat trick. Matthew Kopperud finished an unprecedented Sun Devil career while tying the single season goal record with his 23rd on the season. He finished as the No. 4 power play scorer in the NCAA all-time career record books.
MULLETT MANIA CONTINUES
On the home front, ASU finished in the country's top 10 in attendance percentage and ranked No. 5 in total attendance at Mullett Arena. The 5,000-seat Mullett Arena hosted 124,503 fans in 2023-24.
CAN WE GET TO THE FROZEN FOUR?
Hockey is a sport where anyone can get hot. In the eight Frozen Fours since ASU started competing at the NCAA level, 15 teams have made the Frozen Four, including NCHC members North Dakota, Denver, St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth.
Boston College (2024, 2017, 2016)
Boston University (2024, 2023)
Denver (2024, 2022, 2019, 2016)
Harvard (2017)
Michigan (2024, 2023, 2022, 2018)
Minnesota (2023, 2022)
Minnesota Duluth (2021, 2019, 2018, 2017)
Minnesota State (2022, 2021)
North Dakota (2016)
Notre Dame (2018, 2017)
Ohio State (2018)
Providence (2019)
Quinnipiac (2023, 2016)
St. Cloud State (2021)
UMASS (2021, 2019)