(Photo: Marina Williams/WCSN)
Tempe, AZ – Time wound down on the clock as Sun Devil hockey held on to a one-goal lead, facing pressure from Alaska Fairbanks. ASU won a defensive zone face off, and junior defenseman Ethan Szmagaj fired the puck down the length of the ice into the net, bringing 4,000+ fans to their feet as ASU put the dagger in the Nanooks.
For the first time since October 2018, No. 18 Arizona State hockey (20-6-6) swept the University of Alaska Fairbanks by a final score of 4-2.
Special teams were the name of the game tonight as ASU went three-for-four on the man advantage and a perfect four-for-four on the penalty kill.
“We went into the night really talking about as a staff and then to the team pregame, really focused on winning the special teams battle,” head coach Greg Powers said. “We knew that had we [won] the special teams battle in that game, we had a really good chance to win it.
“The power play was tremendous and went, three for four, really three for three, the last one we were just trying to keep the puck and eat clock. They were perfect, the kill was perfect, [sophomore goaltender Gibson Homer] was great again, it was just a good team win.”
Two of the three power-play goals came off the stick of senior forward Matthew Kopperud, who broke his own single-season power-play goal record with 14.
“Yeah he struggled last night,” Powers said. “He knew it. It was probably his worst game in a couple months. Tonight, he really responded like he always does, and that’s why he’s a great player, a great leader, one of the best goal scorers in college hockey, and tonight he showed it.”
“I mean, the two powerful goals changed it,” Kopperud said.”I just think our power play’s clicking more. I think the line was doing a little bit better five on five. I think last night we were sort of chasing the game a little bit, so it’s nice to come out and have that sort of game.”
The night opened with Kopperud’s first power-play goal. Senior defenseman Tim Lovell walked the top of the blue before finding senior forward Lukas Sillinger at the right circle. Sillinger one touched the pass back to Kopperud, who had switched places with Lovell during the play. Kopperud controlled for a moment before firing a wrist shot through traffic and over the shoulder of senior goaltender Pierce Charleson.
Then, with under four to play in the first period, sophomore forward Chase Dafoe evened the scoring at one. Dafoe picked up the rebound that was sitting on the doorstep behind Homer. Homer had no chance to make a play on the puck because he had laid the body to freshman forward William Lawson-body who was driving the net on the play and was out of position. The play went under review for goaltender interference, but the goal stood.
In his return to action, senior forward Ty Jackson hasn’t missed a beat, getting on the score sheet last night via a goal and an assist. Saturday, he netted another goal, this one on the power play. Kopperud again gets part of the action as he fired the shot from the point, and Jackson finished the job with a tip in front, putting ASU back ahead 2-1 in the second period.
“He looks incredible,” Powers said about Jackson. “He’s looked really good in practice, he’s got his legs, he’s playing with pace. He’s really good at the faceoff dot; he’s been a huge shot in the arm for our group, and even guys like, [Sillinger] play so much better with him. You could see it in [Sillingers] game, and he just makes everybody better; he makes our team better.”
As time ticked away, Kopperud hit his stride once again on the power play. This time he did it from the place he seems to love the most, the right circle. Sillinger fed a pass across the ice – through all four Nanook players who left the slot wide open – to Kopperud, who didn’t hesitate to put the biscuit in the basket.
“When 61 and 27 have the puck, you pretty much just try to get open and let them do what they do,” Kopperud said. “They both have the smartest hockey brains probably in college hockey, so it’s pretty easy: find soft ice, and then they find you.”
Uncontent to go down easy, the Nanooks struck fast and early into the third period, putting the game back to only a one-goal lead for the Sun Devils at 3-2.
However, thanks to an empty net goal by Szmagaj, ASU was able to walk away with the sweep and the win. Now, they will get a week off before heading to Alaska to do it again with the Nanooks.
“I think just the week off is huge,” Powers said. “We know what we’re getting into up there. These guys are really good. They play hard. They have games next week. [They’ve] got long travel, so we’re gonna rest, we’re going to take it really light next week. Make sure that we’re as healthy and rested as possible going up there and give it the best shot to get another sweep.”
