ASU Hockey: Breaking down the Sun Devils’ big rematch with Quinnipiac

(Photo: Pac-12 Network)

As members of Arizona State’s men’s hockey team skate out onto the ice on Friday night, the reminiscent emotions released with regards to last year’s NCAA tournament, 2-1, loss to Quinnipiac will be converted into something else:

Energy.

“There’s a lot of excitement,” senior captain Brinson Pasichnuk said. “It’s a new weekend. It’s a new season. We get to come out and show the college hockey world again what Sun Devil Hockey is made of and how we’re for real and [how] last year wasn’t a fluke. We’re here to stay.”

Added sophomore goaltender Evan DeBrouwer: “I think the team is excited for it because of what happened last year at the tournament. We know that this is a team that if you can get two wins against them it can go a long way toward making the tournament.”

With a record of 4-1-0, Quinnipiac is ranked No. 9 on USCHO’s poll heading into this weekend’s two game set against the Sun Devils. Two wins would provide a massive boost to ASU’s PairWise Ranking stock — the sole decision-maker in the team’s tournament chances — as the Bobcats rank fourth on the ever important ballot. Even a single win would be useful.

Those will be tough to come by though. Quinnipiac returns 26 players from last year’s roster, however, it also lost eight players, two of which were significant keys to last year’s success.

The loss of Hobey Baker Award nominee, Mike Ritcher Award nominee and now-San Jose Sharks goaltender, Andrew Shortridge, has been negated by junior Keith Petruzzelli, who has posted a 2.23 GAA in five starts this season. The Bobcat’s defense has allowed the 14th-fewest shots in college hockey this season after they finished the 2018-19 season ranked ninth in that category.

“They lost arguably their top three D,” Powers said. “They’re just not as experienced as last year.”

But that – and the impressive numbers – aren’t slipping by Powers.

“But by no means are they weak on the back-end,” he said. “They’re just a lot different from last year.”

The offense, despite having a deep, talented group, hasn’t had the same firepower. That being a likely byproduct of losing Hobey Baker nominee Chase Priskie. Even without him, Powers isn’t counting Quinnipiac out.

“I think they’re deeper up front,” he said while adding that they have a top heavy group as well.

Despite the early season offensive struggles — which find the Bobcats ranked No. 21 in goals scored (tied with two others) and No. 29 in shots — the talent that Powers is referring to is still certainly there.

Junior forward Odeen Tufto, last year’s points leader for the Bobcats, has seven points this season, all of which have been assists.

Wyatt Bongiovanni has four goals, tying him with many others (including ASU’s Johnny Walker) for the fourth-most in the country. Freshman forward Guus van Nes has fired 16 shots in five games played, none of which have found the back of the net but he has nonetheless become another dynamic skater for ASU to stop.

“We have nine really good defensemen on this team, and six that play every night and any single one of us can jump in the lineup at all times,” Pasichnuk said. “I’m 100 percent confident in our D-core.”

The Sun Devils have faced the Bobcats six times in the past five years. This weekend’s reunion gives a young ASU program something they typically lack when facing opponents.

“I would say there’s familiarity,” Powers said while shutting down noise about a rivarly developing. “We know how they’re going to play. They’re really good. There’s always good. They’re incredibly well-coached. They’re incredibly well-structured.”

That acquaintance, coupled with the Sun Devils having their shot at redemption, comes at home rather than at a neutral site or in Connecticut. Not only is it another measuring stick for an ASU squad that sits at .500, but it’s the first time this season’s roster is able to show off the resiliency the 2018-19 roster displayed to get to the Tournament.

“I think we’re chomping at the bit to get to this one,” DeBrouwer said. “Everyone is pretty excited.”