ST. PAUL, Minn. – No. 11 Arizona State entered the weekend in a must-win scenario with NCAA tournament hopes on the line with No. 6 Denver standing in the way. The Sun Devils boasted a 3-1 record against the Pioneers in the regular season, with their only loss coming in overtime, but all records get wiped in the postseason. Both teams took turns scoring a pair of goals to enter the third period knotted up 2-2, and with time winding down, it seemed whoever scored next would win.
ASU (21-14-2, 14-10-1 NCHC) started the period hot with a handful of scoring opportunities, but Denver (29-10-1, 16-8-1 NCHC) scored on a 2-on-1 chance and didn’t look back, taking a 4-2 victory after an empty netter. The Pioneers move on to the NCHC Championship, while the Sun Devils head back to Tempe empty-handed, likely eliminated from postseason play.
“It was a hard-fought game that could have gone either way,” head coach Greg Powers said. “We dug ourselves a bit of a hole, but we’ve been a resilient team all year. It was really admirable how we dug ourselves out of it. Denver is a great program and we have a ton of respect for them, but I couldn’t be more proud of our group.”
The Sun Devils scored twice in the second period after ending the opening 20 minutes down 2-0 and took all the momentum into the third. Through the opening five minutes, it looked like it was only a matter of time before they scored and took full control of the game. Senior Ty Murchison gave up a puck in the neutral zone halfway through the period, and Denver junior forward Aidan Thompson buried the one-timer on the rush to take all the wind out of ASU’s sails.
With under two minutes left, Powers pulled senior goalie Luke Pavicich to put an extra attacker on the ice, and the Sun Devils were once again back in business with the constant pressure on the Pioneers. Although they couldn’t score the equalizer and gave up the empty net goal instead, Powers was impressed with the fight and confidence displayed all game long.
“There was never a doubt, and that’s what I loved about this team,” Powers professed. “They never felt like they were out of any game. Nobody took it to us this year, not one team, not one game. This team competed all year and set a good standard.”
After the loss, ASU sits at No. 16 in the PairWise and now has three auto-bid conference winners behind it in the rankings. With only the top 16 teams in the NCAA tournament, the Sun Devils fall just short for the second consecutive season after running out of steam toward the end of the 2023-2024 season.
Seniors Ty Murchison and Ethan Szmagaj are the last active Sun Devils to have played in Oceanside Arena before ASU made the move to Mullett Arena, and their legacies will be forever cemented into Arizona State’s history books. Szmagaj was the captain of this year’s team and Murchison an assistant captain, two players that have left their mark on Powers and ASU’s program.
“This is home for me,” Murchison voiced. “I can’t even express how much this place means to me. This felt like a team that could go all the way, and it was by far the most special year that I’ve been a part of in my four years. Coach Powers always preached to leave this place better than you found it, and I believe we did that. Hopefully the guys next year can carry the torch and get it done.”
Powers mentioned consistently throughout the season this team was the most talented roster he’s ever coached, and all five top point scorers were upperclassmen for ASU. Graduate forward Artem Shaline and senior forward Ryan Kirwan are part of the group that was brought in this year in their last years of eligibility to try and get ASU over the hump, and Shlaine left it all out on the ice.
After blocking a shot in the first period, Shlaine limped off the ice and didn’t start the second period. He later returned just in time to score the game-tying goal, but he was still in obvious pain for the remainder of the game and didn’t start the third either before coming off the bench minutes later. Shlaine was the last Sun Devil to come off the ice as he took it all in one last time, and this season will hold a special place in Shlaine’s heart.
“I think he’s clearly our MVP,” Powers mentioned. “His foot’s probably broken or fractured, so for him to come back and do what he did was amazing. He’s a winner, and he’s got a long career in front of him. He made a huge impact on our program on and off the ice, and he’s an incredible kid and leader.”
Although it wasn’t the result ASU wanted, Powers can now look to the future with confidence, knowing his teams can compete with the best in the country. Going from eighth in the NCHC preseason rankings to the No. 2 seed in the tournament once again allowed the Sun Devils to prove the doubters wrong, a mindset that Powers has thrived in throughout his 15 years behind ASU’s bench.
This season put Sun Devil Hockey on the map, and this offseason will be one to watch closely with so many open slots on the roster. Three of ASU’s top five point scorers were transfers who made an immediate impact on the game, and whoever is next to put on the maroon and gold sweater will be well aware of the expectations heading into the season.
“You have to earn respect, and I think we did that this year,” Powers expressed. “We feel like we’re a team that should still be playing. It’s a screwy year in the PairWise, but I told the guys that I’m proud of their work. They’re going to look back in the season and know they set the standard of us being an elite program in this league.”
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