Forward Kale Dolinski battles for the puck against San Diego State. Dolinski and goalie Robert Levin both won player of the month awards. (Photo by Diana Lustig)ASU hockey is 19-0-0, the best start in program history.
Senior forward Kale Dolinski leads the nation in points (38) and assists (27) and garnered the ACHA Harrow Player of the Month award.
Freshman goaltender Robert Levin leads the nation in goals allowed average (1.03) and save percentage (.960) and took home the ACHA Warrior Goalie of the Month award. His fellow goalie, senior Joe D’Elia is right behind him and also in the top three in goals allowed average (1.13) and save percentage (.950).
Seven different skaters have averaged at least a point per game.
And now, the No. 1 Sun Devils can rest.
The team has a hard-earned two-week break after a grueling start to the season. ASU does not return to the ice until Nov. 25 against Iowa State.
ASU played 12 games in 23 days, something that coach Greg Powers, who sets the team’s schedule, said was by design. Powers said he is relieved for the rest.
“It’s going to be great, real great,” Powers said of the break.
He also said despite the team’s perfect record, it still has some fine-tuning to do. He noted the Sun Devils still have room to improve on their attacking into the offensive zone, as well as sharpening their defensive shifts.
More than half of the season is in the books, and it was as tough of a half as a team could want.
No. 1 Minot State came to town, as did No. 6 Delaware and No. 18 Colorado State. The stretch also included road games at No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 4 Illinois and No. 11 Central Oklahoma.
But the season is by no means over. The second-half schedule includes six games against rival UA, as ASU will seek to extend its 34-game winning streak against the Wildcats. ASU has not lost to UA since 2009.
The two Oklahoma schools will have another go-round with the Sun Devils, as Oklahoma and Central Oklahoma visit Tempe Jan. 9-11.
The season wraps up with two games at UA from Feb. 21 to Feb. 22.
A big reason the Sun Devils are where they are is because of Dolinski and Levin. Powers said he was happy to see his two players of the month recognized on a national level.
“(Dolinski) showed why he was the best player in the country, and why (Levin) might be the best goalie in the country,” Powers said.
ASU has the next two weekends off before a two-game tilt in Tempe against Iowa State in late November. It has Thanksgiving weekend off, then makes the first of two trips to Tucson from Dec. 6 to Dec. 7.
Reach the reporter at justin.emerson@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @J15Emerson
