TEMPE – Sun Devil Hockey (5-3-0, 1-1-0 NCHC) returns to Mullett Arena for the first time in nearly a month for a weekend series with the reigning national champion No. 4 Denver Pioneers (5-2-1, 2-0-0 NCHC) on Friday, Nov. 6, and Sunday, Nov. 8. The weekend series marks head coach Dave Hakstol's first games behind the Sun Devil bench on home ice.
Arizona State returns to Tempe following a four-game road stretch that saw the Sun Devils claim three victories, including a sweep at UMass Lowell and a series split at St. Cloud State. ASU opened NCHC play with a 3-2 victory over the Huskies on Oct. 30 before falling 2-1 in the series finale on Oct. 31.
Recent meetings between the Sun Devils and Pioneers at Mullett Arena have been anything but ordinary. The two programs have split the series 3-3-0 and combined for 56 goals across six games in Tempe over the last three seasons, averaging 9.3 goals per contest, with each team scoring exactly 28 goals during that stretch.
Four of those six meetings have required overtime, while ASU has split all three home series against Denver, including overtime victories secured by former Sun Devil captains Tyler Gratton on Nov. 10, 2023, and Bennett Schimek on Feb. 8, 2025.
SCHEDULE
Friday, Nov. 6, 2026
Arizona State vs. No. 4 Denver – 7 p.m. MST
Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026
Arizona State vs. No. 4 Denver – Noon MST
WHERE TO WATCH
Both games will stream live on FOX 10+ and NCHC.tv. Fans can also listen to the radio broadcasts on FOX Sports 910 AM, with Tyler Paley and Alex Coil on the call.
OPPONENT OUTLOOK
No. 4 Denver arrives in Tempe with a 5-2-1 overall record and a 2-0-0 mark in NCHC play after sweeping Omaha in its conference-opening series. The Pioneers earned a 2-1 victory on Oct. 30 before completing the sweep with a 4-1 win on Oct. 31.
The defending national champions enter the weekend looking to remain unbeaten in conference play as they make their first trip to Mullett Arena of the 2026-27 campaign.
HISTORY VS. DENVER
The Sun Devils trail the all-time series against Denver, 6-14-1, dating back to the programs' first meeting on Jan. 6, 2017. Since joining the NCHC ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, ASU has split its eight regular-season meetings with the Pioneers, posting a 4-4-0 record.
Mullett Arena has hosted some of the highest-scoring and most dramatic matchups in the series. Across the last six meetings in Tempe, the Sun Devils and Pioneers have combined for 56 goals, an average of 9.3 per game, while four contests have extended beyond regulation.
ASU holds a 3-3-0 record against Denver at Mullett Arena over the last three seasons, splitting each series.
Senior captain Kyle Smolen has also found success against the Pioneers, recording six career points (1G, 5A) in meetings with Denver. His most notable performance came on Nov. 22, 2025, when he registered a career-high three assists in ASU's 3-2 overtime victory at Mullett Arena.
QUICK HITS
- ASU's 5-3-0 start through eight games is its best since the 2023-24 campaign, when the Sun Devils opened the season 6-1-1.
- ASU is a perfect 5-0-0 when scoring at least one power-play goal this season.
- ASU's power play is converting at a 28.6% clip, ranking among the top 10 nationally.
- The Sun Devils' penalty kill ranks fourth nationally at 96.2% through eight games.
- Senior captain Kyle Smolen became the fourth player in program history to reach 30 career goals and the 10th Sun Devil to surpass 70 career points.
- Junior forward Ben Muthersbaugh leads ASU with three power-play goals, tied for the national and conference lead, while his 4.88 shots per game lead the conference.
- Freshman defenseman Jonas Woo has emerged as one of the nation's top offensive defensemen, ranking tied for first among NCAA defensemen with eight assists and tied for second in assists per game (1.00).
- Woo ranks tied for second nationally among freshmen in assists (8), tied for fourth in points (9) and tied for eighth in points per game (1.13) and shares ASU's scoring lead with sophomore forward Jack Beck (9) through eight games.
- Four of the last six meetings between ASU and Denver at Mullett Arena have required overtime, with the two teams combining for 56 goals and exactly 28 apiece (9.3 combined per game) during that stretch.
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