(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
The Arizona State men’s hockey team earned the N0. 18 spot in the latest USCHO poll, cracking the top-20 rankings for the the first time in program history.
The Sun Devils (9-3-0) received 168 votes, breaking their highest total set last week at 85 votes.
ASU has received votes in the last four weeks, steadily collecting more and more over the course of its strong start to the season. In week three, the Sun Devils earned their first-ever vote. Last week, ASU was one vote shy of an appearance in the top-20. Now, coach Greg Powers and company finally hold a position in the spotlight at No. 18, ranked ahead of Minnesota and Miami.
“Getting ranked is certainly a nice milestone for our players and we’re all very proud of what they have done so far this season,” Powers said to Sun Devil Athletics. “By no means is this our end all be all; we have big things yet to accomplish as a program and we’ll continue to build this the right way, brick by brick.”
After splitting a series on the road against one of the best teams in the country, then-No. 6 Penn State, and sweeping Michigan State at Oceanside Ice Arena last weekend, the Sun Devils continue to ride an program-best record to begin a campaign.
The Sun Devils currently rank tied for fifth in the PairWise rankings with last year’s NCAA Champions Minnesota-Duluth.
Last weekend, the Sun Devils earned their ninth victory of the season, surpassing their win total from last year (8-21-5). Furthermore, it was ASU’s fifth win on home ice, tying their highest in a single season (2016-2017).
The key factors to the Sun Devils’ success has been the abundance of young, highly-skilled talent mixed with the relentless fight and determination.
Despite losing the series opener 6-5 to Penn State, the Sun Devils showed resilience and bounced back. Sophomore forward Johnny Walker carried his team to victory in the finale with the 4-3 OT winner to secure the series split and the happy flight home.
For the third week in a row, the sophomore sensation leads the nation with 11 goals and 17 points. Receiving honors two weeks ago as ESPN’s best player in the world of the week, Walker is on pace to pass his single-season goal record set last season (17). The Phoenix-native is the catalyst that ignites the Sun Devils’ offense with a team-high six power play markers and 68 shots on goal.
Although he was kept off of the scoresheet for the first time this season in a series, all four lines equally contributed to take down the Spartans for their first series sweep over a Big Ten opponent in program history. Freshman forward Jordan Sandhu came up with an impressive pair of performances in a four-point weekend, including his first collegiate goal and three assists.
Junior goaltender Joey Daccord continues to hold down the fort. Although his numbers came back down to Earth after the two high-scoring contests with the Nittany Lions, Daccord stopped 37 of 41 shots on goal against Michigan State. The 2015 seventh-round draft pick (No. 199 overall) by the Ottawa Senators earned his league-leading ninth win of the season and third shutout of the year.
Through 12 games, Daccord boasts a 2.09 GAA and .930 save percentage along with the highest save total (334) and most minutes played (717) among all NCAA goaltenders this season.
The No. 18 Sun Devils prepare for a three-week, six-game road trip, beginning with a clash in Boston against Harvard next weekend. ASU won’t have a home game until December 14-15 when they take on Colorado College.
