Snake-Bitten Devils Drop Another One-Goal Game

NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- It was another high-scoring affair between Sun Devil Hockey (4-9-2) and No. 18 Notre Dame (5-5-1) on NHL Network, as a back-and-forth contest ensued with the Fighting Irish capitalizing on another big third period en route to a 5-4 victory.

Freshman forward Matthew Kopperud lit up the scoresheet with two power play goals and now solely leads the country in goals scored as the first to reach 10. It also brought Kopperud's total to six in three games against the Fighting Irish. Senior forward Johnny Walker also recorded his 98th and 99th point as a Sun Devil, which included a blast from the right circle for his second goal of the season.

"There's still a lot of good. Our power play is going, our kill is going. We are putting pucks in the net. We're making plays," said head coach Greg Powers. "It just seems like everytime we make a mistake, it's in the back of our net. I told the guys, 'We have two choices: you can mail it in and not be what we stand for, or you can come out swinging tomorrow. Hopefully we can come out swinging tomorrow.'" 

The Sun Devils will take on Notre Dame for the fourth and final time this season tomorrow at 3 p.m. MST on NHL Network and the NBC Sports App. 

GAME NOTES:  

• With two goals tonight, Kopperud now leads the nation in goals scored with 10 and is the first player in the country to reach double-digit goals this season. Six out of his 10 goals have been scored against Notre Dame.
• Kopperud is tied for fourth in the NCAA in points (16) and leads all freshmen in goals (10) and points as well. 
• His two power play tallies becomes the first Sun Devil to score multiple power play goals in the same game since Brinson Pasichnuk against Alaska Anchorage on Feb. 15, 2020.
• ASU's power play unit has now scored in four consecutive games, two of which included multiple goals. Tonight is the first time they've scored multiple power play goals since Dec. 18 against No. 18 Ohio State.
• Walker reached 99 career points with an assist and a goal on the night in just his third game back with the Sun Devils. He originally had 100 points before review showed he did not have an assist on Kopperud's second goal as originally thought.
• The Sun Devil penalty kill negated all five penalties. They have killed nine-straight penalties dating back to the last game against Ohio State.
• Forward James Sanchez's three-assist night became the first Sun Devil to have three in a game since he had four against Wisconsin on Feb. 21, 2020. It was also the first three-point performance by a Sun Devil since Kopperud against Notre Dame on Dec. 4.
• Sanchez has five assists in the three games against the Fighting Irish this season.
• Defenseman Jacob Semik had a two-assist night as well, becoming his fourth assist against Notre Dame in the last two games. 
• Since the two Michigan series', the Sun Devil offense is tied for first in scoring (3.91 g/gp) among all teams who have played at least eight games or more.