Kirwan's Hat Trick Punctuates 7-3 Win Over Robert Morris

TEMPE – With his second career hat trick Ryan Kirwan spearheaded the No. 19 Arizona State ice hockey victory over Robert Morris to advance to the Desert Hockey Classic championship game. Kirwan's hat trick is the 11th in ASU program history and led the ASU offense in the 7-3 victory over the Colonials. The opening game victory extends ASU's winning streak to six games. 

ASU (9-7-1, 5-3-0 NCHC) is now 5-0-0 all-time against RMU (8-8-2, 5-5-1 HEA) and will face the No. 16 Cornell Big Red (6-3-3, 3-3-2 ECAC) in the championship game on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. MST. RMU competes in the classic's consolation game against UMass at 3 p.m. MST. All games air on NCHC.tv supplemented by Sun Devil Hockey Radio on FoxSports910.

First line left winger Ryan Kirwan scored a pair in each period to bring his tally on the season to 10. He registered the game's first goal just 35 seconds into play before tallying his second a mere 29 seconds into the middle frame to give the Sun Devils a 2-0 advantage. His hat trick goal was the seventh and final for ASU in the matchup at the 17-minute mark in the third period. 
 

Following in the senior's footsteps, freshman Cullen Potter netted a pair of goals for his first career multi-goal game in NCAA play, both in the second period to give ASU a 4-0 lead.

Alternate captain Benji Eckerle and Charlie Schoen each found the back of the net in the third period that gave ASU a commanding 6-1 lead.

GAME NOTABLES:

• Kirwan's hat trick is the 11th hat trick recorded in ASU history. The last hat trick scored by a Sun Devil was Bennett Schimek at Air Force on Oct. 4, 2024
• It's Kirwan's second career hat trick, his first coming against Army on Jan. 6, 2024.
• Game one of the Desert Hockey Classic was the second two-goal game for Ryan Kirwan this season. He tallied his first, and eighth of his collegiate career, at Northern Michigan on Oct. 26, 2024 in a 2-0 victory.
• Cullen Potter's two goals marked a single game career-high for the rookie. It's his fifth and sixth goals of the season.
  • The Sun Devils are 4-0-1 this season when he scores a goal.
• Charlie Schoen's goal in the third period was his first in 19 games after missing the first half of the 2024-25 season due to injury.
• Bennett Schimek registered a career-high three assists, breaking his previous career-high set on Jan. 26, 2024 against UMass Lowell with two.
• The Sun Devils moved to 8-1-0 when scoring the first goal of the game and 5-0-0 over the Colonials all-time. ASU out-scored RMU 27-13 in the five all-time matchups.
• ASU has won six-straight games, the first time since March 10, 2023 - Oct. 21, 2023. The program record for most consecutive wins is seven (Jan. 25-Feb. 15, 2020)
• The last time ASU and RMU met, ASU tied a program-high for most goals in a single game at 8 (Dec. 2023). In that matchup, then ASU captain Tyler Gratton scored his first career hat trick.

PERIOD BREAKDOWN
First Period
The Sun Devils scored 35 seconds into the game with a goal by Ryan Kirwan who capitalized on a rebounded save by RMU's goaltender. He was assisted by linemates Kyle Smolen and Artem Shlaine to give ASU a 1-0 lead. 

For the remainder of the period the Sun Devils had one power play chance which helped them outshoot the Colonials 11-4 through the first period.

Second Period
Similar to the opening period, Kirwan secured his second goal of the game 29 seconds into the middle frame giving the Sun Devils a 2-0 lead. Smolen was credited with his second assist of the contest, along with Noah Beck.

Cullen Potter scored a pair of goals to give ASU a commanding 4-0 advantage, his first goal coming on the power play with assists by Anthony Dowd and Bennett Schimek. Then his second goal came on a breakaway and beat the Colonials goalie with the assists being credited toward Schimek and Joel Kjellberg halfway through the second frame. 

Robert Morris answered with a goal to make it 4-1 in the final minutes of the period.

Third Period
Benji Eckerle scored five minutes into the final period to push the score to 5-1. Beck and David Hymovitch were credited with the assists. Then shortly after, Charlie Schoen scored his first goal in 19 games. 

The Colonials netted another goal but Kirwan answered back and registered his third goal of the game, to extend the score to 7-2. The goal gave him his second career hat trick. RMU added a third goal in the final moments of the game for the final score, 7-3.

QUOTABLES:
Arizona State Head Coach Greg Powers:
On Ryan Kirwan and what he's meant to the roster:
"He's been great, a great kid and a great teammate. A great leader. He had seven goals in the first half (of the season) which is obviously no small feat. But I think Kirwan has felt like he could have had a dozen so it was nice to see the puck go in for him tonight. He was ripping it good and that's a good way to start the second half and gain some confidence."

On freshman Cullen Potter's progression as a player:
"His speed has really put them on their heels tonight and it was nice to see him pick a spot on that first goal and obviously finish one on the second (goal). He's another guy with four goals in the first half and could have probably have had 10 or 12 (goals). So great start for the second half for those two and and we're going to need them if we're going to do want to do."

On playing Cornell tomorrow in the championship game:
"They're a handful and (Mike) Schafer is obviously a legend. I'm honored that we get one more against him and that great program, We watched their game before us and they're stout, structured and hard to play against. It's going to be a war tomorrow and it's going to be a lot of fun."

Arizona State Senior Forward Ryan Kirwan:
On what has made his front line successful this season:
"I think tonight playing with (Artem) Shlaine and (Kyle) Smolen is the first time we've been together. We were working hard I think when I was playing with the twins too. All four are all unbelievable talented players and they all work just as hard."

On his hat-trick and the offense being able to be efficient:
"I feel like it has. Having three goals doesn't happen all the time so I think there's games where its clicking but it's just not going. But a good performance from our team as a whole."

Arizona State Junior Forward Bennett Schimek:
On being able to bring the energy without the students:
"The students aren't in the building but we still got a great crowd tonight. We did a great job on the bench bringing our own energy so it was great."

On the confidence level being high in the locker room:
"Definitely, we've had that feeling all year. We're finally starting to see the results so there's definitely a strong belief that anytime we go out there on a Friday or Saturday that we'll come out on top."