COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Sun Devil Hockey picked up a thrilling 6-5 overtime win in the series opener against Colorado College on Friday night at Ed Robson arena.
After a perfect set up by senior forward Bennett Schimek, sophomore defenseman Joel Kjellberg scored the game-winning goal in overtime to put Arizona State (13-13-1, 6-8-1 NCHC) back into the win column.
Schimek’s primary assist rounded out a four-point evening for the Sun Devil captain to bring his season total to 37, which ranks fourth in the NCAA. The forward scored or assisted on four of six Sun Devil goals on Friday night after netting his 11th goal of the season, which opened the game’s scoring.
The ASU power play went a perfect 3-for-3, improving to 7-for-12 (.583) in its last three games. Freshman forward Sam Alfano scored two goals, including one on the power play to join sophomore forwards Ty Nash and Logan Morrell with goals on the man advantage.
Schimek (1G, 3A), Alfano (2G, 1A), Morrell (1G, 2A), and senior forward Cruz Lucius (3A) each tacked on three-plus points, which marks the first time this season four different Sun Devil skaters tallied three-plus points in a game.
The three-assist night for Lucius now gives him a share of first place in the NCAA with 26 assists, joining teammate Bennett Schimek and Michigan Tech’s Stiven Sardarian.
The Sun Devils now move to 10-1-0 when scoring four-plus goals and will aim to complete the road sweep on Saturday night with things set to get underway at 6:00 p.m. MST. Fans can tune into the action via NCHC.TV with the radio call featuring Tyler Paley and Alex Coil over on FOX 910 Phoenix.
Period-by-period breakdown
First period
- Lucius fell victim to the first penalty of the evening as he went to the penalty box for holding at the 5:11 mark. The penalty kill held strong to deny the Colorado College special teams unit.
- At 13:11, Lucius rang the puck around the boards which ended up finding a wide open Schimek on a breakaway. Schimek made no mistake as he slid a backhand through the goaltenders five-hole to open the scoring for ASU with Lucius picking up the assist.
- The Sun Devils then got their first opportunity on the power play at 16:44, where Morrell netted a short-side snipe just eight seconds into the man advantage to make it 2-0. Schimek added the lone assist for his second point of the evening.
Second period
- Colorado College leveled the score at 2-2 after two goals in :48 to open the second period.
- ASU responded just 1:58 later, as Alfano buried his fifth goal of the season at 3:42 to reclaim the 3-2 lead.
- The Sun Devil power play got another opportunity, as Schimek sent in a shot from the point that deflected off the boards and right to Alfano’s wheelhouse where he batted in his second goal of the night at 8:08.
- Special teams remained the theme of ASU’s success when Nash scored the Sun Devils’ third goal of the night on the man advantage to give them a three-goal advantage they would carry into the intermission.
Third period
- Colorado College added the first goal of the third period at 2:41 to make it 5-3.
- The Sun Devils were assessed two minor penalties at 10:53 to trigger a 5-on-3 advantage for the Tigers. They scored to cut the ASU lead down to one, and followed that with another power play goal to make it 5-5.
- ASU registered a season-low two shots on goal in the third period as the contest made way to overtime.
Overtime
- Senior goaltender Connor Hasley turned away a pair of quality scoring chances from Colorado College to keep things at 5-5.
- Schimek weaved through the Tiger defense and found a wide open Kjellberg who unloaded a wrist shot into the back of the net for his second goal of the season and the game winner for the Maroon and Gold.
Notables
- The Sun Devils picked up their first road OT win since Oct. 23, 2021 at Colgate (W, 4-3 OT).
- ASU earned its first road win at Colorado College since Dec. 2, 2023 (W, 2-0).
- Schimek (1G, 3A), Alfano (2G, 1A), Morrell (1G, 2A), and Lucius (3A) were the first quartet of skaters since Dec. 17, 2023 vs. Robert Morris to each record three-plus points – Lukas Sillinger (1G, 4A), Tyler Gratton (3G), Matthew Kopperud (1G, 2A), Tim Lovell (4A), Anthony Dowd (2G, 1A).
- Schimek and Lucius are two of just five skaters nationwide with 110+ points, and are the only pair of teammates with 110+ points apiece.
- Alfano recorded the first three-point and multi-goal game of his NCAA career.
- Alfano is now the first freshman since Kyle Smolen on Jan. 5, 2024 vs. Harvard to record three-plus points in a single game.
- Additionally, Alfano has now recorded goals in consecutive games for the first time in his career and is on a four-game point streak.
- Logan Morrell’s three points are a single-game season and career high, as the forward had two three-point games at Michigan Tech last season.
- Morrell also has recorded goals in back-to-back games for the first time as a Sun Devil.
- Schimek notched his team-leading 10th multi-point game of the season with one goal and one assist. It was also his fifth time this season recording three-plus points, and his second with four-plus points (1G, 3A).
- Lucius recorded his fifth assist in the last three games to increase his team, NCHC and NCAA co-lead to 26 assists.
- ASU is now 10-2-1 when Lucius has two or more points this season.
- The Sun Devils now move to 4-1-1 in OT this season.
- Joel Kjellberg’s overtime goal now gives him 20 career points, the most among active ASU defenseman.
- ASU had five different skaters record a multi-point evening - Schimek (1G, 3A), Alfano (2G, 1A), Morrell 1G, 2A), Lucius (3A), Nash (1G, 1A).
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