Kirwan Stays Hot in Hockey Win Over the Wildcats

MARQUETTE, MI – Three Sun Devil skaters scored to lift the Arizona State ice hockey team (2-4-1) to a 3-1 victory over the Northern Michigan Wildcats at Berry Events Center. Ryan Kirwan extended his goal-scoring streak to three-straight games with the game-winning goal on Friday night.

Former Northern Michigan captain Artem Shlaine made his much anticipated debut for the maroon and gold in game one. He notched an assist on Benji Eckerle’s empty net goal.

Bennett Schimek opened the scoring for the Sun Devils with assists from Lukas Sillinger and Noah Beck. With the lamp-lighter, Schimek extended his team lead of goals on the season with five. Beck also continues to lead the team in points with 10 (1G, 9A).

Kirwan scored the game-winner with three minutes left in regulation after the game remained tied 1-1 for the majority of play. He has the second-most goals on the team with four through seven games this season.

Luke Pavicich made his third start in net this season and made 16 saves. His record now stands at 1-2-0 with a .941 save percentage.

ASU set a new single game high for the season with 40 shots on net. NMU only tallied 17 shots on net through three periods.

First Period

ASU executed a near perfect first 10 minutes of play to set up Bennett Schimek for his fifth goal of the season after tic-tac-toe passing from Noah Beck at the blue line to Sillinger at the circle and finally to Schimek at the backdoor. Schimek’s goal 12 minutes into play is ASU’s first goal in the first period since the Sun Devils opened the season at Air Force. In the four games since then, ASU was held scoreless in the introductory period. ASU led the shot chart with 10 in the opening frame to NMU’s seven. With three minutes remaining in the period, NMU tied the score, 1-1.

Second Period

The period was punctuated by “almosts” for the Sun Devils. Four minutes into the period Cullen Potter hit the post on a shot from the high point. The puck rebounded and hit the back of NMU’s netminder before trickling suspiciously close to the goal line. ASU challenged the initial no-goal call but the officials let the ruling on the ice stand. Then, after a massive hit on Anthony Dowd in the Sun Devils defensive zone, ASU enjoyed a five-minute power play off a charging major penalty by the Wildcats. Despite 12 shots the Sun Devils couldn’t find the back of the net to break the 1-1 tie. ASU set a season high for fewest shots allowed in a period after holding NMU to only four through 20 minutes.

Third Period

ASU killed it’s only penalty to keep the game tied 1-1. With three minutes remaining, Ryan Kirwan tallied the game-winner with help from Dylan Jackson and Lukas Sillinger. The Wildcats pulled their goalie in a last ditch attempt but ASU put the nail in the coffin with an empty net goal by Benji Eckerle with only eight seconds remaining.