ST. PAUL, Minn. – The No. 2-seed Arizona State ice hockey team (21-14-2, 14-10-1 NCHC) fell short in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinal round, losing 4-2 to No. 3-seed Denver (22-10-1, 16-8-1 NCHC) at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on Friday. NCHC leading goal scorer Ryan Kirwan and Three Stars Award winner Artem Shlaine scored ASU's pair of goals in the second period.
The loss marks the end of the Sun Devil's 2024-25 campaign in their inaugural season in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. ASU finished second in the NCHC regular season standings with 47 points.
"It was a hard fought game. It could have gone either way. We dug ourselves a little bit of a hole, but we've been a resilient group all year. It was really admirable how we dug ourselves out of it. Their goalie made some big saves and they really had one scoring chance in the third and credit to them, they buried it and found a way to win. They're a great team and a great program. We've got a ton of respect for them, but I'm proud of our group, couldn't be more proud of them," said head coach Greg Powers.
ASU found itself trailing early to start the semifinal matchup as DU scored the first two goals of the contest. However, the Sun Devils showed off the same resilience from their comeback victory against UMD in the quarters to even up the score. A power play goal by Ryan Kirwan cut the deficit in half before Artem Shlaine scored unassisted just before the end of the second period. Going into the final frame all square, the Sun Devils couldn't capitalize on the opportunity, ultimately losing 4-2.
GAME NOTABLES
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
PERIOD BREAKDOWN
First Period
The Pioneers came out on the front foot to start, scoring in the first 90 seconds of the game. After settling in, the Sun Devils had a two-on-one chance, but Dylan Jackson couldn't convert. The top two power play units in the NCHC had their first chances of the game with a man-advantage but failed to light the lamp. However, DU later capitalized on another penalty by ASU with three minutes left in the period to make it 2-0. The offensive opening frame saw both sides enter double digits in shots as each goaltender recorded 12 saves.
Second Period
ASU began the second period holding off DU with four saves by goaltender, Luke Pavicich, and two blocks. The Pioneers took a hooking penalty at 12:08 and the Sun Devils made sure to get even on the power play as Ryan Kirwan finished on a rebound to cut the lead in half. Lukas Sillinger and Noah Beck were credited with the assists.
In the final minute of the second period, ASU would tack on one more as Artem Shlaine intercepted a cross-ice pass in the offensive zone before scoring on a backhand finish to tie it up, 2-2 going into the third.
Third Period
Several scoring chances were shared between the Sun Devils and Pioneers through the first ten minutes of the third period. Pavicich came up with a big save on a breakaway by DU early before Kirwan nearly scored on a tough rebound shot. DU retook the lead on a 2-on-1 goal scored halfway through in the third that forced ASU into desperation mode. With under two minutes left in regulation, the Sun Devils pulled the goaltender in hopes of finding an answer, but came up short. DU scored on the empty net to finish the game, 4-2.
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Greg Powers
On what this season did for Sun Devil Hockey
"You have to earn respect and I think that this year, we definitely earned respect. We feel like we're a team that should still be playing … so I told the guys that I'm proud of their body work. I'm obviously biased because I love them, but to me, their body of work justifies moving on. They're gonna look back on this season and know that they set the standard for us to be an elite program in this league which we expect to be every year. Not many outside of our room gave us a chance and it was just a great group of guys and one that if we just get in, we feel like we can beat anybody because this year we did."
On looking back at this season and the program as a whole
"We have confidence in our staff and belief in what we have at Arizona State. We're led by an unbelievable guy in Graham Rossini, and we have so many good things going for us that we believe that we're going to continue to push forward and not look back. That's all you can do. Nothing we've done has surprised me. With all the people that doubted me and doubted our program when we went to Division 1, if you don't have that inner belief and confidence that you can get the job done, then you're not going to be successful. We had a great year. Nobody's going to wear it this year more than me. I think our players did their job. There are a few games that I'll always look back on where we didn't close out and we could be in a much different position today if we did. I take responsibility for that and it's something that we're going to be better at because of what we went through this year."
Forward Artem Shlaine
On what he was most proud of this season
"I think what I'm proud of is proving people wrong. I know Coach Greg always says to follow the people that believe in us, but I come from a little different background. When people don't believe in me, I prove them wrong and I think we did that. Especially starting with everyone who didn't believe in us and put us eighth [in preseason NCHC media polls]. It's a lesson for everyone for next year to believe in this team."
Defenseman Ty Murchison
On what this program means to him
"This is home for me. I can't even express how much this place means to me, what an amazing program it is and how well Coach Greg has done with these teams over the years. So, it's still fresh, it hurts really bad. This felt like a team that could go all the way. But, it was by far the most special group I've been a part of in my four years here."
The loss marks the end of the Sun Devil's 2024-25 campaign in their inaugural season in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. ASU finished second in the NCHC regular season standings with 47 points.
"It was a hard fought game. It could have gone either way. We dug ourselves a little bit of a hole, but we've been a resilient group all year. It was really admirable how we dug ourselves out of it. Their goalie made some big saves and they really had one scoring chance in the third and credit to them, they buried it and found a way to win. They're a great team and a great program. We've got a ton of respect for them, but I'm proud of our group, couldn't be more proud of them," said head coach Greg Powers.
ASU found itself trailing early to start the semifinal matchup as DU scored the first two goals of the contest. However, the Sun Devils showed off the same resilience from their comeback victory against UMD in the quarters to even up the score. A power play goal by Ryan Kirwan cut the deficit in half before Artem Shlaine scored unassisted just before the end of the second period. Going into the final frame all square, the Sun Devils couldn't capitalize on the opportunity, ultimately losing 4-2.
GAME NOTABLES
- Artem Shlaine has scored five goals against the Pioneers this season. When ASU swept DU in Magness Arena in Denver, Shlaine scored both game-winning goals
- Ty Murchison continued to be a menace for shooters, adding on seven blocks to his NCHC leading 98 blocks this season
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
- The graduate class of Artem Shlaine, Lukas Sillinger, Ty and Dylan Jackson, and Noah Beck combined for 144 points (42G, 102A) through 37 games
- Ryan Kirwan finished the season with an NCHC leading 26 goals and 39 points which tops the ASU stat sheet. The goal mark leads the ASU team and set a new program record for goals in a single season by an ASU skater.
- Artem Shlaine and Lukas Sillinger tied for the second-most points on the team with 38. Sillinger completed his collegiate career with 160 points from 51 goals and 109 assists. Shlaine tallied 119 points in his five-year NCAA career from 46 goals and 73 assists.
PERIOD BREAKDOWN
First Period
The Pioneers came out on the front foot to start, scoring in the first 90 seconds of the game. After settling in, the Sun Devils had a two-on-one chance, but Dylan Jackson couldn't convert. The top two power play units in the NCHC had their first chances of the game with a man-advantage but failed to light the lamp. However, DU later capitalized on another penalty by ASU with three minutes left in the period to make it 2-0. The offensive opening frame saw both sides enter double digits in shots as each goaltender recorded 12 saves.
Second Period
ASU began the second period holding off DU with four saves by goaltender, Luke Pavicich, and two blocks. The Pioneers took a hooking penalty at 12:08 and the Sun Devils made sure to get even on the power play as Ryan Kirwan finished on a rebound to cut the lead in half. Lukas Sillinger and Noah Beck were credited with the assists.
?? C'MON WHO ELSE BUT RYAN KIRWAN ?? pic.twitter.com/1gAhYOGVnG
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) March 21, 2025
In the final minute of the second period, ASU would tack on one more as Artem Shlaine intercepted a cross-ice pass in the offensive zone before scoring on a backhand finish to tie it up, 2-2 going into the third.
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, ARTEM SHLAINE ????? pic.twitter.com/7tUA6HUOQm
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) March 21, 2025
Third Period
Several scoring chances were shared between the Sun Devils and Pioneers through the first ten minutes of the third period. Pavicich came up with a big save on a breakaway by DU early before Kirwan nearly scored on a tough rebound shot. DU retook the lead on a 2-on-1 goal scored halfway through in the third that forced ASU into desperation mode. With under two minutes left in regulation, the Sun Devils pulled the goaltender in hopes of finding an answer, but came up short. DU scored on the empty net to finish the game, 4-2.
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Greg Powers
On what this season did for Sun Devil Hockey
"You have to earn respect and I think that this year, we definitely earned respect. We feel like we're a team that should still be playing … so I told the guys that I'm proud of their body work. I'm obviously biased because I love them, but to me, their body of work justifies moving on. They're gonna look back on this season and know that they set the standard for us to be an elite program in this league which we expect to be every year. Not many outside of our room gave us a chance and it was just a great group of guys and one that if we just get in, we feel like we can beat anybody because this year we did."
On looking back at this season and the program as a whole
"We have confidence in our staff and belief in what we have at Arizona State. We're led by an unbelievable guy in Graham Rossini, and we have so many good things going for us that we believe that we're going to continue to push forward and not look back. That's all you can do. Nothing we've done has surprised me. With all the people that doubted me and doubted our program when we went to Division 1, if you don't have that inner belief and confidence that you can get the job done, then you're not going to be successful. We had a great year. Nobody's going to wear it this year more than me. I think our players did their job. There are a few games that I'll always look back on where we didn't close out and we could be in a much different position today if we did. I take responsibility for that and it's something that we're going to be better at because of what we went through this year."
Forward Artem Shlaine
On what he was most proud of this season
"I think what I'm proud of is proving people wrong. I know Coach Greg always says to follow the people that believe in us, but I come from a little different background. When people don't believe in me, I prove them wrong and I think we did that. Especially starting with everyone who didn't believe in us and put us eighth [in preseason NCHC media polls]. It's a lesson for everyone for next year to believe in this team."
Defenseman Ty Murchison
On what this program means to him
"This is home for me. I can't even express how much this place means to me, what an amazing program it is and how well Coach Greg has done with these teams over the years. So, it's still fresh, it hurts really bad. This felt like a team that could go all the way. But, it was by far the most special group I've been a part of in my four years here."