ST. CLOUD, Minn. – For the first time in 55 days, the No. 13 Arizona State ice hockey team (11-8-1, 6-4-0 NCHC) leaves the comforts of Mullett Arena and takes flight for a road series in continued NCHC play at No. 15 St. Cloud State (11-9-0, 4-6-0 NCHC). In a three-way tie for first place in the conference, ASU looks to gain more traction in the Penrose Cup chase and secure the program's first-ever wins over the Huskies.
Fans in The Valley can enjoy all the action from Herb Brooks Arena on FOX10 on Friday, Jan. 17 at 6:30 p.m. MST. Game two on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 5 p.m. MST airs on tape delay on Fox10Xtra. Both games stream on NCHC.tv and over the airwaves on FoxSports910.
HISTORY VS. THE HUSKIES (0-3-0)
In its inaugural season as an NCAA Division I program in 2015-16, ASU traveled to then-No. 5 St. Cloud State and dropped the two-game series, 6-1 and 7-0. The next season, ASU hosted the first-ever Desert Hockey Classic in Prescott Valley, Arizona and faced off against the Huskies on night two of the tournament. Then-No. 18 SCSU had the early 3-0 lead over ASU before Tyler Busch and Steen Pasichnuk scored back-to-back goals within two minutes in the third period to bring the game within one. SCSU scored the game-winning goal with only one second remaining in regulation to remain undefeated over ASU.
MINNESOTA BOYS
The largest majority of skaters from the United States on the ASU team are from the State of Hockey (5). Junior defenseman Tucker Ness (Plymouth), freshman center Cullen Potter (Minneapolis), junior winger Bennett Schimek (Mendota Heights), junior winger Cruz Lucius (Grant), and junior winger Charlie Schoen (Andover) all hail from Minnesota. The only constituency of players larger than the group of five from Minnesota are the seven players from Canada.
PAIRWISE NUMBERS
The Sun Devils are listed 14th in the PairWise Rankings compared to the Huskies' T-17th spot. The PairWise Rankings (PWR) are a statistical tool designed to approximate the process by which the NCAA selection committee decides which teams get at-large bids to the 16-team NCAA tournament. Although the NCAA selection committee does not use the PWR as presented by USCHO.com, the PWR has been accurate in predicting which teams will make the tournament field.
WHAT IS THE PENROSE CUP?
The Penrose Cup is named in honor of Julie and Spencer Penrose and awarded to the NCHC's regular-season champion. Only three programs have lifted the Penrose Cup in NCHC history: Denver won three (2017, 2022 (shared with UND) and 2023), St. Cloud State claimed three NCHC regular-season titles (2014, 2018 and 2019), and North Dakota won Penrose Cups six times in 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022 (shared with Denver), and 2024.
ASU NOTABLES
After starting the season unranked, ASU entered the USCHO.com Poll on Nov. 25 after the series sweep on the road at then-No. 1 Denver. Since then, ASU has either held steady week-over-week or climbed the polls. With a split with North Dakota last weekend, ASU jumped to No. 13. The highest national poll ranking ever received by the Sun Devils was No. 9 on Feb. 17, 2020 in the 2019-20 season. ASU reached No. 11 last season on Jan. 8.
ARTY - THE TWO-WAY CENTER
Artem Shlaine tallied three goals over the weekend against North Dakota. Both of his lamplighters on Saturday were scored on special teams - one on the power play and one shorthanded. There are only four skaters in ASU history who have tallied a shorthanded goal and a power play goal in the same game (two occurred in 2024-25):
HOT HAND HOMER
Gibson Homer remained strong between the pipes in 2025. In his first appearance back in nearly two months, the redshirt junior put up a shutout performance over then-No. 16 Cornell in the Desert Hockey Classic on Jan. 4. He then started Friday night's opening game vs. the #15 North Dakota Fighting Hawks, completing 27 saves and only one goal against. He won the game's First Star. He boasts top-10 national numbers in goals against average and save percentage with 1.88GAA and .932SV% in eight games played. His two shutouts this season is tied for eighth in the NCAA. On Wednesday, January 15, Homer was named to the Mike Richter Award Watch List, given annually to the best goaltender in college hockey. It is the first time he's been named to the watch list.
FIRST LOOK AT LUCIUS
Wisconsin transfer Cruz Lucius made his first appearance in maroon and gold last weekend vs. UND after being out due to injury. In his first two games back, Lucius recorded a point per game with assists in both games against the Fighting Hawks. The junior forward averaged a point per game in both his freshman and sophomore seasons for the Badgers. Last season he led Wisconsin in points with 34 from 13 goals and 21 assists. He was named to the 2023 Ice Breaker All-Tournament Team, the All-Big Ten Honorable Mention, and was named Academic All-Big Ten. In his rookie year (11G, 23A), he was named the Mark Johnson Rookie of the Year award and was a Hobey Baker nominee. Before becoming a Badger, he skated with the U.S. National Team Development Program and scored nine goals and 18 points during an injury-shortened, 23-game season in 2021-22. He played with current Sun Devils Ty Murchison and Gibson Homer during his time at the USNTDP. He also helped Team USA win silver at the 2022 IIHF Under-18 World Championship with two goals and eight points in six games.
Fans in The Valley can enjoy all the action from Herb Brooks Arena on FOX10 on Friday, Jan. 17 at 6:30 p.m. MST. Game two on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 5 p.m. MST airs on tape delay on Fox10Xtra. Both games stream on NCHC.tv and over the airwaves on FoxSports910.
HISTORY VS. THE HUSKIES (0-3-0)
In its inaugural season as an NCAA Division I program in 2015-16, ASU traveled to then-No. 5 St. Cloud State and dropped the two-game series, 6-1 and 7-0. The next season, ASU hosted the first-ever Desert Hockey Classic in Prescott Valley, Arizona and faced off against the Huskies on night two of the tournament. Then-No. 18 SCSU had the early 3-0 lead over ASU before Tyler Busch and Steen Pasichnuk scored back-to-back goals within two minutes in the third period to bring the game within one. SCSU scored the game-winning goal with only one second remaining in regulation to remain undefeated over ASU.
MINNESOTA BOYS
The largest majority of skaters from the United States on the ASU team are from the State of Hockey (5). Junior defenseman Tucker Ness (Plymouth), freshman center Cullen Potter (Minneapolis), junior winger Bennett Schimek (Mendota Heights), junior winger Cruz Lucius (Grant), and junior winger Charlie Schoen (Andover) all hail from Minnesota. The only constituency of players larger than the group of five from Minnesota are the seven players from Canada.
PAIRWISE NUMBERS
The Sun Devils are listed 14th in the PairWise Rankings compared to the Huskies' T-17th spot. The PairWise Rankings (PWR) are a statistical tool designed to approximate the process by which the NCAA selection committee decides which teams get at-large bids to the 16-team NCAA tournament. Although the NCAA selection committee does not use the PWR as presented by USCHO.com, the PWR has been accurate in predicting which teams will make the tournament field.
WHAT IS THE PENROSE CUP?
The Penrose Cup is named in honor of Julie and Spencer Penrose and awarded to the NCHC's regular-season champion. Only three programs have lifted the Penrose Cup in NCHC history: Denver won three (2017, 2022 (shared with UND) and 2023), St. Cloud State claimed three NCHC regular-season titles (2014, 2018 and 2019), and North Dakota won Penrose Cups six times in 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022 (shared with Denver), and 2024.
ASU NOTABLES
- ASU set a new program record with an eight-game winning streak that dated from Nov. 16, 2024 vs. Omaha through Jan. 10, 2025 vs. then-No. 15 North Dakota. The streak breaks the previous record set at seven between Jan. 25-Feb. 15, 2020.
- ASU leads the NCHC in players with hat tricks. No other NCHC team has had two hat tricks recorded this season
- Bennett Schimek is tied for the league lead in short-handed goals after scoring two at Air Force to kickoff the season.
- Ryan Kirwan's 4.85 shots per game average ranks second in the NCHC. His 97 total shots leads the conference and ranks fourth nationally. His 11 goals is tied at 14th in the country and third in the NCHC
- With last weekend's wins, the Sun Devils moved to 10-1-0 when scoring the first goal of the game.
- When leading after two periods, ASU is 8-0-0
- After two big performances against top-ranked Cornell and North Dakota to start 2025, Gibson Homer's goals against average and save percentage ranks in the top-10 of all goaltenders nationally
- ASU is ranked 12th in the NCAA in scoring offense (3.25 avg.) and 14th in scoring margin (.80)
- Noah Beck is tied for the team lead in points with Schimek with 20 (3G, 17A). The mark is tied fifth in NCHC for most points. His 17 assists is tied 10th in the NCAA
- ASU has not allowed more than four goals against this season
- In Saturday night's game vs. UND, ASU was held to the fewest shots on goal this season at 24 (tied with shots @Air Force)
After starting the season unranked, ASU entered the USCHO.com Poll on Nov. 25 after the series sweep on the road at then-No. 1 Denver. Since then, ASU has either held steady week-over-week or climbed the polls. With a split with North Dakota last weekend, ASU jumped to No. 13. The highest national poll ranking ever received by the Sun Devils was No. 9 on Feb. 17, 2020 in the 2019-20 season. ASU reached No. 11 last season on Jan. 8.
ARTY - THE TWO-WAY CENTER
Artem Shlaine tallied three goals over the weekend against North Dakota. Both of his lamplighters on Saturday were scored on special teams - one on the power play and one shorthanded. There are only four skaters in ASU history who have tallied a shorthanded goal and a power play goal in the same game (two occurred in 2024-25):
- Artem Shlaine, vs. No. 14 North Dakota on Jan. 11, 2025 (L, 4-3 OT)
- Bennett Schimek, vs. Air Force on Oct. 4, 2024 (W, 8-3)
- Robert Mastrosimone, vs. Michigan Tech on Jan. 6, 2023 (L, 4-2)
- Josh Maniscalso, vs. Alaska Fairbanks on Nov. 9, 2019 (W, 4-0)
HOT HAND HOMER
Gibson Homer remained strong between the pipes in 2025. In his first appearance back in nearly two months, the redshirt junior put up a shutout performance over then-No. 16 Cornell in the Desert Hockey Classic on Jan. 4. He then started Friday night's opening game vs. the #15 North Dakota Fighting Hawks, completing 27 saves and only one goal against. He won the game's First Star. He boasts top-10 national numbers in goals against average and save percentage with 1.88GAA and .932SV% in eight games played. His two shutouts this season is tied for eighth in the NCAA. On Wednesday, January 15, Homer was named to the Mike Richter Award Watch List, given annually to the best goaltender in college hockey. It is the first time he's been named to the watch list.
FIRST LOOK AT LUCIUS
Wisconsin transfer Cruz Lucius made his first appearance in maroon and gold last weekend vs. UND after being out due to injury. In his first two games back, Lucius recorded a point per game with assists in both games against the Fighting Hawks. The junior forward averaged a point per game in both his freshman and sophomore seasons for the Badgers. Last season he led Wisconsin in points with 34 from 13 goals and 21 assists. He was named to the 2023 Ice Breaker All-Tournament Team, the All-Big Ten Honorable Mention, and was named Academic All-Big Ten. In his rookie year (11G, 23A), he was named the Mark Johnson Rookie of the Year award and was a Hobey Baker nominee. Before becoming a Badger, he skated with the U.S. National Team Development Program and scored nine goals and 18 points during an injury-shortened, 23-game season in 2021-22. He played with current Sun Devils Ty Murchison and Gibson Homer during his time at the USNTDP. He also helped Team USA win silver at the 2022 IIHF Under-18 World Championship with two goals and eight points in six games.