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Hockey drops series opener to #4 North Dakota

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Hockey drops series opener to #4 North DakotaHockey drops series opener to #4 North Dakota
Hailey Leonard/Sun Devil Athletics
Box Score

TEMPE – Sun Devil Hockey fell short in the series opener against No. 4 North Dakota, losing 7-4 (EN) on Friday night at Mullett Arena.

The Sun Devils rallied from a 2-0 deficit to knot things up at 2-2 late into the second period as senior defenseman Tucker Ness and freshman forward Carmelo Crandell each found the back of the net just two minutes apart to even the action.

North Dakota responded with a goal of its own 46 seconds later to put ASU down 3-2 headed to the third period. The Fighting Hawks added an early third period goal, but the Sun Devils continued to fight after a goal from freshman defenseman Justin Kipkie to make it 4-3. 

Despite outshooting North Dakota 34-33, ASU was unable to climb all the way back in the eventual 7-4 (EN) final. The Sun Devils saw a season-high 12 different skaters record a point, including senior forward Johnny Waldron collecting his first goal in the Maroon and Gold.  

The Sun Devils (12-12-1, 5-7-1 NCHC) will aim to bounce back in game two against the Fighting Hawks (19-6-0, 11-4-0 NCHC) Saturday night with puck drop scheduled for 5 p.m. MST on NCHC.TV / FOX10 Xtra, with radio coverage on Fox Sports Phoenix 910AM.

Period-by-Period Breakdown
First Period

  • North Dakota scored the game’s first goal with 13:47 remaining to take a 1-0 lead. Shortly after, the Fighting Hawks extended their lead to 2-0 with 8:48 left in the opening frame. NoDak would carry a two-goal lead into the first intermission.

Second Period

  • Nearly 12 minutes into the second period, Ness netted his second goal of the season to cut ASU’s deficit in half, 2-1, with 8:22 remaining. 
  • The Sun Devils’ power play unit capitalized on the man advantage as Cruz Lucius and Bennett Schimek found a wide open Crandell to tie the game at two a piece.
  • Shortly after, the Fighting Hawks scored to regain the lead and make it 3-2 with 5:42 left in the middle frame. North Dakota would hold a one-goal lead heading into the second intermission.

Third Period

Less than two minutes into the third period, the Fighting Hawks extended their lead to 4-2.

  • Following a cross-checking penalty on North Dakota, Kipkie found the back of the net on the power play to make it a 4-3 game.
  • North Dakota answered back 52 seconds later to take a two-goal lead, 5-3, then the Fighting Hawks netted another goal to make it 6-3 with 11:40 in regulation.
  • With 3:27 left in regulation, Waldron buried a goal to cut the Sun Devils deficit to two goals. However, North Dakota put away an empty net goal to seal the win, 7-4.

Game Notables

  • After not scoring a goal in his first 67 career games, senior defenseman Tucker Ness has scored twice in the last seven games.
  • On the 4-on-3 advantage, Carmelo Crandell scored his fifth goal of the season and his third in the last four contests.
  • Bennett Schimek's assist in the second period is his 22nd of the season, tying Josh Doan for 10th most by a Sun Devil in a season. Additionally, he tied Matthew Kopperud for the ninth most assists by a Sun Devil in a career with 44.
  • Friday’s game marked the second game this season with multiple defensemen scoring a goal for ASU. Tucker Ness and Justin Kipkie each found the back of the net in the team’s 5-1 win at No. 8 Dartmouth on Dec. 26, 2025.
  • Johnny Waldron’s third period goal was his first of the season and the first as a Sun Devil. It was his 23rd career goal and the first since Dec. 7, 2024 as a member of Miami (OH) against North Dakota.
  • This was the third time this season with 10+ skaters each recording a point (Notre Dame - Oct.10, 2025., Dartmouth - Dec. 27, 2025).

Quotables
Arizona State Head Coach Greg Powers
Opening Statement
“It was a fun hockey game. It was back and forth and I think we did a lot of really good things. (When) we score four goals at home against that team, you have to find a way to win. And at the end of the day, we were really bad at our net front tonight. Our defense just didn’t protect it and left (goaltender Connor) Hasley out to dry.”

On how the team responded to the quick start in the first period
“I thought the first five minutes we were really good and then we had a bad play on the wall. And then they beat us in that front. The second one, we completely abandoned the net front. Two defensemen just didn’t even know that he was behind them and it happened again on their fifth goal. So when you give up three really easy ones, not protecting in that front against a team that good, it’s going to be really tough. But the pushback we had, I was really proud of our guys. That second period is one of our better ones all year. We were really good. It felt like we were going to come back and win that game. Even when we cut it to 4-3, we felt good. So a lot of good. We did a lot of good things tonight, but we have to keep the puck out of it and not gift wrap goals to teams that are that good. It’s going to be tough to beat when you do that.”

On the way the team kept fighting tonight
“We never gave up. Even down 6-3, when (forward) Johnny (Waldron) scored on the power play, it felt like there was still belief, there’s still hope. The guys never gave up tonight and I’m proud of them for that. But we have to clean it up defending the net front. We have to clean up the inopportune penalties. We talked about after the second period, the stick penalties, that we took three stick penalties in the first two periods that are so avoidable, and then we go out in the first 30 seconds of the third (period) and we take a stick penalty. And they score on a power play. It's inexcusable.”

 On what they will do better for tomorrow’s game
“Show them video, (just) like we always do. It’s such a basic thing, but it’s hockey 101. You can’t make those mistakes against North Dakota. They’ll make you pay every time, and they made us pay every time.”

Arizona State senior forward Kyle Smolen
On avoiding momentum shifters
“It's mental preparation before you go on the ice, when you go out there, this is on us too. I was out there when they scored. It's about mental preparation, it’s about knowing what just happened and the one thing you can't do is let in a goal at that moment, we did it twice, it killed us.”

On mentally preparing for a bounce-back win
“There's no other option. This is our season at this point, we have to. There is no other option. If that's not enough to get you out of bed, then I don't know what is.”