Samuel Urban emerging as key player for ASU

(Photo: Marina Williams/WCSN)

TEMPE — It is not often that a goalie allows zero goals in regulation and loses. However, that is what happened on Sunday with Arizona State’s second-year goalie Samuel Urban.

Urban stood on his head for the Sun Devils, totaling 40 saves in ASU’s 1-0 overtime loss to No. 4 Denver. Additionally, Urban had 19 saves in the final frame of regulation, coming up big in the most important period.

“He’s definitely our best player,” third-year forward Logan Morrell said about Urban. “He played unbelievable. The last two nights, he competes, he works hard, he does everything right, and he’s a great teammate.”

The same story rang true in Friday’s 6-3 loss against the Pioneers, with Urban racking up a collegiate career-high 45 saves. Though he allowed five goals in the game, two came during a five-minute power play after first-year forward Landon Hafele received a major elbowing penalty.

Urban cemented himself as a key player for the Sun Devils against the defending national champion Denver, yet ASU couldn’t generate enough offense to give the netminder time to breathe.

“[Urban’s work ethic] resonates through everyone,” Morrell said. “Resonates with me. Seeing how hard he works every day makes me want to work harder.”

The Sun Devils were outworked in the 3rd period on Sunday, getting outshot 19 -7. With that many chances down the stretch, one was bound to find the back of the net.

“The first two periods we didn’t give up a ton, but off of some of the outnumbered rushes, he’s looking at some difficult saves,” ASU head coach Dave Hakstol said. “He answered that bell. Penalty kill, your goaltender has to be good. He did that. Third period, a little bit more traffic, a little more action around him. Did a great job getting us into overtime. So, really good performance by (Urban) tonight.”

After being the backup his freshman year, Urban’s hard work showed, becoming the Sun Devils’ starter in the crease. The 6-foot goalie holds a 4-4 record this season with a 2.89 GAA and a .922 save percentage.

Last season, he started 16 games and finished with a 4-10-1 record, ending his freshman campaign with a 3.53 GAA and a .904 save percentage. Now, his 271 saves are the seventh-most in the nation, while his 33.88 saves per game lead the NCHC.

Since Hakstol became the bench boss, Urban is 3-2, with his two losses coming at the hands of the Pioneers. In this stretch, Urban is averaging around 37.6 saves per game with a 2.81 GAA.

After 10 games, ASU is 5-5 and heads into another bye week. If the team wants to start stringing together wins during its upcoming NCHC schedule against No. 6 Minnesota Duluth, No. 11 Colorado College and No. 5 Western Michigan, it needs to be better at protecting its own net.

ASU must take its great play in the crease and use it as a threat to opponents, not as something for the Sun Devils to lean on.

“You can ask anyone, he’s probably our hardest worker,” Morrell said. “I just feel like every day with him, it’s something where he’s getting better. He’s focusing on a new detail, and it shows in games.”