TEMPE – Sun Devil Hockey (23-7-6) broke the program record for most wins in a single season in the 4-3 victory over the Long Island Sharks (16-20-1) at Mullett Arena. The record-setting victory was ushered in by four goals all netted by a senior night honoree. Nine out the Sun Devils' 12 points on Saturday night came from the graduating class.
ASU collected its 23rd win of the season, outpacing its previous record of 22 from 2019-20 (cut short due to COVID). In 2018-19 the Sun Devils made their first NCAA Tournament with a 21-win season.
Seniors Lukas Sillinger, Matthew Kopperud, Benji Eckerle, Ryan O'Reilly, Alex Young, and Tim Lovell and graduates Brian Chambers, Tyler Gratton, and Brandon Tabakin were all recognized during the pre-game ceremony. Throughout the season so far, the senior class reached 168 points scored complete with 61 goals and 107 assists.
Kopperud put on a goal-scoring show during the honorary game. In the second period, he collected his 19th and 20th goals of the season. The second, scored on the man-advantage, marked his 39th career power play goal. He now sits in the top-5 for all-time career power play goal scorers in the history of the NCAA.
NCAA All-Time Leaders - Career Power Play Goals
56 - Brett Sterling (2002-06)
48 - Ted Cook (2005-09)
42 - Grant Potulny (2000-04)
41 - Jacques Lamoureux (2006-11)
39 - Matthew Kopperud (2020-24)
39 - Matt Smith (2004-08)
The alternate captain and forward is now within three goals of breaking the single-season goal record, currently set at 23 by Johnny Walker. He is also eight goals from breaking the program record for all-time career goals. Walker also set that record at 70.
Lukas Sillinger broke the single-season assist record last night as he tallied his 32nd assist in the second period. With his three assists tonight, Sillinger has tallied seven points in the last three games and has a total of 35 apples on the season. After this weekend, he is now tied with Sun Devil alum Robert Mastrosimone for most points in a single season with 42.
TJ Semptimphelter returned to the ice tonight and collected his eighth 30-plus save game of the season, logging 31 total saves.
Game Notables:
Up Next: The Sun Devils finish the 2023-24 season on the road at Alaska Anchorage on Friday-Saturday, March 8-9. Both games of the series can be heard on Fox Sports 910, the home of Sun Devil Hockey radio.
PERIOD BREAKDOWN
First Period
ASU killed the first power play chance for the Sharks at the seven minute mark. Following a scrum in front, ASU thought it netted a goal from Ty Jackson. The officials called their own review and ultimately concluded that the puck did not fully cross the line. Moments later, LIU scored the first goal of the game to take the 1-0 lead. LIU led the shot count through the first 20 minutes, 13-9. Both teams enjoyed a power play chance, but neither could convert.
Second Period
TJ Semptimphelter was the star early in the middle frame, deflating several LIU chances through the first 10 minutes. On senior night, senior Ryan O'Reilly scored his 26th career goal with assists by Kyle Smolen and fellow senior Benji Eckerle to tie the game 1-1 at 08:06. Two minutes later, Matthew Kopperud picked up the puck next to LIU's net and snuck it past the goalie to grab the lead, 2-1. The Sun Devils' special teams were brought on the ice for another power play after a hooking penalty was called on the Sharks. The seniors extended ASU's lead after Sillinger and Chambers connected with Kopperud, five minutes after his first goal of the game.
Third Period
Not long after the start of the final period, LIU was penalized with a boarding call. Head coach Greg Powers challenged the penalty to change the call to a five-minute major penalty and was ultimately successful. The Sun Devils' went on the power play where graduate cneter Brian Chambers found the back of the net to put ASU up 4-1. Sillinger and Jackson collected their third and second assists of the night, respectively. LIU challenged the goal for goaltender interference, but did not find the same success in its efforts. Shortly after the five-minute major expired, LIU returned to the box for a slashing call. Despite being down a man, the Sharks were able to convert a short-handed goal on a break away to snag a goal back, making it 4-2. LIU pulled their goalie with just under four minutes left in the game to put an extra man on the ice. Just before the two minute marker, the Sharks found the back of the net to get within one. ASU held off another pulled goalie scenario by the Sharks to secure the 4-3 victory.
QUOTES OF THE GAME
Head Coach Greg Powers
On sending the seniors out:
"Chambers had a goal, Kopp (Kopperud) had his 20th goal. The seniors really carried us tonight. Silly (Sillinger) had three points and tied the program record for points tonight. We put him (Sillinger) and Kopp out to try and get the record breaker and it just didn't work, but hopefully he'll get it next weekend. The seniors carried us tonight and got us a big win. Winning 23 games in college hockey is hard to get. It's really hard to do and again, just to be redundant, I'm really proud of this group."
On the senior class:
"I've talked about the guys that have been here four years and even the guys that were just here one year like Tyler Gratton, Brian Chambers, Brandon Tabakin and Alex Young, just unbelievable kids. This year was not only a year that really put us on that trajectory that I was talking about, but it was a really good culture rebuild. A great group of kids, all bought in, they play for each other and again, that's what we're trying to build here and they did a hell of a job."
On the game overall and most program wins:
"This team has found a way to make a lot of things interesting this year and age me in the process, but we found a way. It's a resilient group of kids and it was an ugly first period again and a great second. I thought we were gonna pull away there but we gave them a couple goals there with the shorty and the one at the end. But, a tremendous feat to break our win record and with two left to play still. Really proud of these guys."
Senior forward Matthew Kopperud
On the team dynamic over the course of the season:
"I can't really compare it. I think this is the closest team I've probably been on in my whole life. We're best friends on and off the ice. There's no clicks, there's no little groups, everybody's friends and I think that just bonds us. Every time we're down in the first period, it's like, 'whatever, we'll go on and we'll come back.' That's how we think as a group and it's just how we are."
Graduate forward Brian Chambers
On the game plan for the year:
"Yeah, we had a game plan all year, play hard and play fast. We have a great talented group of guys and every time we hit the ice, we had a chance to win. We really haven't been out of any game this year. I think we've lost by three at the most with empty netters at the end. We've had a game plan and we stuck to it all year long."
ASU collected its 23rd win of the season, outpacing its previous record of 22 from 2019-20 (cut short due to COVID). In 2018-19 the Sun Devils made their first NCAA Tournament with a 21-win season.
Seniors Lukas Sillinger, Matthew Kopperud, Benji Eckerle, Ryan O'Reilly, Alex Young, and Tim Lovell and graduates Brian Chambers, Tyler Gratton, and Brandon Tabakin were all recognized during the pre-game ceremony. Throughout the season so far, the senior class reached 168 points scored complete with 61 goals and 107 assists.
Lucky No. 23 ???? #BeTheTradition pic.twitter.com/V84Cc8pwOC
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) March 3, 2024
Kopperud put on a goal-scoring show during the honorary game. In the second period, he collected his 19th and 20th goals of the season. The second, scored on the man-advantage, marked his 39th career power play goal. He now sits in the top-5 for all-time career power play goal scorers in the history of the NCAA.
NCAA All-Time Leaders - Career Power Play Goals
56 - Brett Sterling (2002-06)
48 - Ted Cook (2005-09)
42 - Grant Potulny (2000-04)
41 - Jacques Lamoureux (2006-11)
39 - Matthew Kopperud (2020-24)
39 - Matt Smith (2004-08)
The alternate captain and forward is now within three goals of breaking the single-season goal record, currently set at 23 by Johnny Walker. He is also eight goals from breaking the program record for all-time career goals. Walker also set that record at 70.
.@kopper303 nets his 39th career power play goal to become one of the top 5 @ncaaicehockey all time career power play scorers ?? #BeTheTradition pic.twitter.com/GjKM8plB6Z
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) March 3, 2024
Lukas Sillinger broke the single-season assist record last night as he tallied his 32nd assist in the second period. With his three assists tonight, Sillinger has tallied seven points in the last three games and has a total of 35 apples on the season. After this weekend, he is now tied with Sun Devil alum Robert Mastrosimone for most points in a single season with 42.
TJ Semptimphelter returned to the ice tonight and collected his eighth 30-plus save game of the season, logging 31 total saves.
Game Notables:
- Matthew Kopperud scored his 20th goal of the season, his 39th career goal on the power play.
- Lukas Sillinger tallied a three-point night with three assists. This marks his second 3+ point game this season, previously accomplishing this at Robert Morris where he collected five points.
- ASU has scored 4 goals in each of the last three games.
Up Next: The Sun Devils finish the 2023-24 season on the road at Alaska Anchorage on Friday-Saturday, March 8-9. Both games of the series can be heard on Fox Sports 910, the home of Sun Devil Hockey radio.
PERIOD BREAKDOWN
First Period
ASU killed the first power play chance for the Sharks at the seven minute mark. Following a scrum in front, ASU thought it netted a goal from Ty Jackson. The officials called their own review and ultimately concluded that the puck did not fully cross the line. Moments later, LIU scored the first goal of the game to take the 1-0 lead. LIU led the shot count through the first 20 minutes, 13-9. Both teams enjoyed a power play chance, but neither could convert.
Second Period
TJ Semptimphelter was the star early in the middle frame, deflating several LIU chances through the first 10 minutes. On senior night, senior Ryan O'Reilly scored his 26th career goal with assists by Kyle Smolen and fellow senior Benji Eckerle to tie the game 1-1 at 08:06. Two minutes later, Matthew Kopperud picked up the puck next to LIU's net and snuck it past the goalie to grab the lead, 2-1. The Sun Devils' special teams were brought on the ice for another power play after a hooking penalty was called on the Sharks. The seniors extended ASU's lead after Sillinger and Chambers connected with Kopperud, five minutes after his first goal of the game.
Third Period
Not long after the start of the final period, LIU was penalized with a boarding call. Head coach Greg Powers challenged the penalty to change the call to a five-minute major penalty and was ultimately successful. The Sun Devils' went on the power play where graduate cneter Brian Chambers found the back of the net to put ASU up 4-1. Sillinger and Jackson collected their third and second assists of the night, respectively. LIU challenged the goal for goaltender interference, but did not find the same success in its efforts. Shortly after the five-minute major expired, LIU returned to the box for a slashing call. Despite being down a man, the Sharks were able to convert a short-handed goal on a break away to snag a goal back, making it 4-2. LIU pulled their goalie with just under four minutes left in the game to put an extra man on the ice. Just before the two minute marker, the Sharks found the back of the net to get within one. ASU held off another pulled goalie scenario by the Sharks to secure the 4-3 victory.
QUOTES OF THE GAME
Head Coach Greg Powers
On sending the seniors out:
"Chambers had a goal, Kopp (Kopperud) had his 20th goal. The seniors really carried us tonight. Silly (Sillinger) had three points and tied the program record for points tonight. We put him (Sillinger) and Kopp out to try and get the record breaker and it just didn't work, but hopefully he'll get it next weekend. The seniors carried us tonight and got us a big win. Winning 23 games in college hockey is hard to get. It's really hard to do and again, just to be redundant, I'm really proud of this group."
On the senior class:
"I've talked about the guys that have been here four years and even the guys that were just here one year like Tyler Gratton, Brian Chambers, Brandon Tabakin and Alex Young, just unbelievable kids. This year was not only a year that really put us on that trajectory that I was talking about, but it was a really good culture rebuild. A great group of kids, all bought in, they play for each other and again, that's what we're trying to build here and they did a hell of a job."
On the game overall and most program wins:
"This team has found a way to make a lot of things interesting this year and age me in the process, but we found a way. It's a resilient group of kids and it was an ugly first period again and a great second. I thought we were gonna pull away there but we gave them a couple goals there with the shorty and the one at the end. But, a tremendous feat to break our win record and with two left to play still. Really proud of these guys."
Senior forward Matthew Kopperud
On the team dynamic over the course of the season:
"I can't really compare it. I think this is the closest team I've probably been on in my whole life. We're best friends on and off the ice. There's no clicks, there's no little groups, everybody's friends and I think that just bonds us. Every time we're down in the first period, it's like, 'whatever, we'll go on and we'll come back.' That's how we think as a group and it's just how we are."
Graduate forward Brian Chambers
On the game plan for the year:
"Yeah, we had a game plan all year, play hard and play fast. We have a great talented group of guys and every time we hit the ice, we had a chance to win. We really haven't been out of any game this year. I think we've lost by three at the most with empty netters at the end. We've had a game plan and we stuck to it all year long."