TEMPE – Following a week off the ice, Sun Devil Hockey returns to action on Friday, Dec. 12, when Arizona State travels to No. 5 Minnesota Duluth at Amsoil Arena in Duluth, Minn., for a two-game NCHC series.
Puck drop times
Friday, Dec. 12 - 6 p.m. MST
Saturday, Dec. 13 - 4 p.m. MST
Where to watch
Fans can tune into the action on NCHC.TV, while Tyler Paley and Alex Coil will be on the call over the airwaves on Fox Sports 910AM and iHeartRadio.
Previous meeting
The two programs last faced off on March 15, 2025, when ASU completed a three-goal come-from-behind effort to defeat the Bulldogs, 6-5, in overtime during the NCHC quarterfinals at Mullett Arena to clinch a spot in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff.
Forward Ryan Kirwan scored the game-winning goal and added two assists in the win. Senior forward Bennett Schimek, who was also credited with three assists, scored the game-tying goal on the power play in the third period to send the game to overtime.
Coach talk
“They’re as good as it gets. Everybody knows how good these kids are. This is going to be the toughest weekend we’ve had yet. We look at it as nothing other than a tremendous opportunity to get back in a position where we feel like we control our destiny,” - ASU head coach Greg Powers.
All-time history vs. Minnesota Duluth (4-3-1)
- Minnesota Duluth and Arizona State meet for the fifth time since 2022.
- During the Sun Devils’ inaugural season in the NCHC in 2024-25, ASU went 4-1-1 against the Bulldogs, including a sweep in the conference quarterfinals last March.
- ASU’s lone blemish against the Bulldogs last season came in Duluth, where the Sun Devils fell in overtime, 3-2, on Feb. 14, 2025. The two teams tied in the second game of the series, 3-3, on Feb. 15, 2025, when ASU picked up two points in the conference by winning the shootout.
- The Sun Devils swept the Bulldogs in the first conference series between both teams last December at Mullett Arena, featuring a 5-3 win on Dec. 6, 2024 and a 3-2 overtime winner a day later.
- The Bulldogs swept the Sun Devils in their first all-time meeting in Duluth on October 1-2, 2022.
Scouting the opposition
The Bulldogs are ranked fifth in the country, and the fourth different top-10 opponent the Sun Devils have faced this season. Minnesota Duluth is coming off a series split against No. 7 Western Michigan last weekend and currently is third in the NCHC standings with a 6-4 record.
Sophomore Forward Max Piante leads the NCHC with 14 goals and 28 points. His brother, forward Zam Piante, leads the conference with 17 assists and is second with 26 points. The team ranks tied for fourth in the nation, allowing 1.9 goals per game, and has the fifth-best penalty kill in the nation at 89.5 percent. On the power play, the Bulldogs score 28.1 percent of the time, which is good for sixth-best in the country. This season, the Bulldogs have scored four or more goals in a game 11 times, contributing to their 13-5-0 record.
Quick hits
- If Arizona State wins Friday’s series-opening game, the Sun Devils will have a four-game winning streak for the first time since Dec. 7, 2024 - Jan. 10, 2025, when the team defeated Minnesota Duluth, won the Desert Hockey Classic over Robert Morris, then-No. 16 Cornell and defeated then-No. 14 North Dakota.
- A victory for the Sun Devils would mark their first win at Amsoil Arena and third straight win over the Bulldogs. It would also mark their third top-10 win of the season.
- Arizona State has three skaters - Cruz Lucius, Sean McGurn and Cullen Potter - with two game-winning goals this season. They are the only team in the conference to have three players with multiple game-winning goals.
- Sophomore forward Cullen Potter was named NCHC Forward of the Week on Dec. 2 for posting four points (2G, 2A) and a conference-best +4 plus/minus over the holiday weekend. It was his first career weekly honor.
- Entering the week, Cullen Potter is tied for the second-longest active point streak in the country at seven games, notching nine points (4G, 5A) during the stretch. In addition, he’s the fifth different Sun Devil to have a seven-game point streak.
- Potter has scored a goal in three straight games (Nov. 22 - Nov. 29), becoming the eighth different Sun Devil to record a three-game goal streak or longer in ASU history.
- ASU has a 5-0 record this season when Potter records a goal, winning three straight games when he finds the back of the net.
- In the month of November, senior forward Bennett Schimek was one of two skaters - along with North Dakota’s Ben Stinden - to lead the NCHC with 12 points (3G, 9A). He led the conference with nine assists and is one of two forwards - along with Minnesota Duluth’s Zam Piante - to average an assist per game with 16 on the season.
- With four more points throughout the weekend, Schimek will reach 100 career points (40G, 56A). Entering the series, he has the sixth-most points (96) among active players in the nation and is one of four active skaters to have 40+ goals and 50+ assists in their collegiate career.
- Through eight conference games, Schimek has eight assists, which is good for third among all skaters. He’s one of three NCHC players to average at least one assist in conference play. Schimek leads the conference, averaging 1.5 points per game, totalling 12 points in eight contests.
- Entering the series, senior forward Cruz Lucius currently has a three-game point streak, coming off a four-point (1G, 3A) weekend against Ohio State, including an overtime, game-winning goal on Nov. 28.
- Lucius enters the weekend with 98 career points (36G, 62A), two points shy of 100 career points. He would be the fourth active player to reach the century mark in points, and currently has the fifth most assists among active Skaters.
In the NCHC, Lucius and Schimek are one of two pairs of teammates to have 20+ points this year. - Between the pipes, senior netminder Connor Hasley ranks second in the NCHC, averaging 28.33 saves per game and has registered 340 saves in 12 games, good for fourth in the conference.
- Hasley has won three straight games for the Sun Devils, registering 100 saves in the last three starts. The senior is nine saves away from 2,200 career saves, which would be the eighth most among active Division I goaltenders.
- On the dot, sophomore forward Logan Morell ranks sixth in face-off winning percentage at .594, winning 155 face-offs, which is good for the fifth most in the NCHC.
- Sophomore defenseman Joel Kjellberg found the back of the net for the first time against Ohio State on Nov. 29. He is currently tied for second in the conference with 30 blocks, eight shy of his freshman year total of 38 blocks.
- Alternate captain defenseman Brasen Boser is tied with Minnesota Duluth’s Adam Kleber for the conference lead with 17 blocks in eight conference games.
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