(Photo: Sun Devil Athletics)
The first week of a new year typically marks the beginning of several traditions. After the ball drops in New York, resolutions are made, college football is turned on, and celebrations begin. All of the yearly renditions are present in Tempe, but in addition, a new staple has sprouted at Mullet Arena.
One decade ago, Arizona State hosted the first annual Desert Hockey Classic, welcoming four teams for a tournament that has kicked off the new year nearly every season since. ASU’s signature tournament is serving the same purpose as always, with Michigan Tech, Air Force, and Alaska Anchorage all heading to the Valley of the Sun for the tournament’s seventh rendition.
The Sun Devils (9-10-1, 4-5-1 NCHC) have defended home ice in the past two years of the Desert Hockey Classic, but this season has told a different tale from years past. ASU was ranked heading into the years entering the tournament at No. 10 two years ago and No. 19 last year. Entering 2026, they only received eight top-20 votes in the USCHO poll.
The Maroon and Gold have found success but also lacked consistency through 2025’s part of 2025. In five series against top-10 teams, ASU has managed a split in four of them, showing that it can keep pace with the best in the country. However, with only one series sweep this season against Ohio State in late November, there have been some serious questions about the Sun Devils’ ability to play a complete weekend.
ASU’s last series against Dartmouth followed the same narrative with a series split against then-No. 8 Dartmouth. The series opener on Saturday showed a lot of promise with the Sun Devils toppling the Big Green 5-1 in a statement win, but a lack of defensive zone structure in Sunday’s matchup allowed Dartmouth to claim a 4-1 victory itself.
While ASU has struggled to string together consecutive wins, a lot of individuals in its lineup have been finding success, especially head coach Greg Power’s top three forwards.
Senior forward and co-captain Bennett Schimek has had a spectacular start to second year in Tempe, notching 29 points in just 20 games, the second-most in the country. The Minnesota native has led the way offensively for the Maroon and Gold, visibly making everyone around him better through his elite playmaking abilities.
One of the beneficiaries of Schimek’s puck movement is senior forward Cruz Lucius. The Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2022 fourth-round draft pick has tallied 11 goals, providing another offensive weapon for Powers. Lucius has not been as hot as he was at the start of the season, but he seems to thrive in tournaments with a hat-trick against Alaska Fairbanks in the championship of the Ice Breaker Tournament.
Sophomore forward Cullen Potter has also been blazing through ASU’s last several series. Potter struggled to find his footing earlier in the season, but has at least one point in 10 out of his last 11 games, with 14 of his 19 points this year coming in that stretch. The Calgary Flames first-round draft pick has been instrumental to the Sun Devils success against top-10 opponents, with 11 points coming against the nation’s best.
Between the pipes, senior Connor Hasley has also been an important piece to ASU’s triumphs this season. The Bentley transfer has put up a .919 save percentage while allowing around 2.67 goals per game, as his play put the Sun Devils in a place to succeed last weekend, grinding Dartmouth’s potent offense to a halt.
Michigan Tech (11-7-2, 7-3-2 CCHA) has a lot of parallels to ASU’s squad, as it also received eight top-20 votes, while lying home to one of the nation’s top scorers.
Senior forward Stiven Sardarian shares the nationals’ second slot for points with Schimek at 29 total, which is more than double the amount of the teammate closest to him. The Buffalo Sabres ‘ third-round pick has been one of the best playmakers in the nation, with 20 assists, providing almost all of the Huskies’ offensive life.
Sardarian’s success has been backed by one of the nation’s top defensive teams. Michigan Tech only concedes two and a half goals per game, which has allowed it to succeed despite a below-average offense.
The Huskies are familiar with the tournament, boasting a perfect record, with two wins in two tournament appearances. The only team to match that number is ASU, meaning a duel between the two in the championship would be to break that tie.
Before that, ASU will have to get through Alaska Anchorage (3-11-0) on Friday night. The Seawolves have struggled immensely on either side of the ice, as they are currently a bottom-three team in the league defensively and bottom five offensively. Despite their slow start, they shocked many by upsetting then-No. 6 Denver 4-3 in Denver, their only win over an NCHC opponent in four games this season.
Junior forward Karter McNarland and sophomore Ryan Johnson lead the way for the Seawolves at 8 points this season. Anchorage has struggled this year but will look for a strong start to 2026 with a tournament win against a strong field.
Rounding out the field is Air Force (9-7-2, 6-5-1 Atlantic), who are also familiar faces to the Desert Hockey Classic. The Falcons made the trip to Mullet Arena at the start of 2023, where they finished fourth.
Air Force has had a solid start to its season with the help of sophomore forward Nick Sajevic, who leads the team in 21 points. The Falcons also feature one of the nation’s best defensemen in senior Chris Heddon, who has nine goals this season — the second most in the country by a defenseman.
Air Force and Michigan Tech will kick the tournament off Friday night at 3 pm MST, followed by ASU and Alaska Anchorage at 7 pm MST. Depending on the results, the championship will either take place at 3 pm MST, with an Alaska win, or 7 pm MST, with an ASU win.
The Sun Devils have not lost a tournament on home ice since 2023, as they look to claim two more non-conference wins in an effort to win their third Desert Hockey Classic in a row. The last time they dropped a tournament on home ice, Michigan Tech emerged victorious. In a week full of New Year’s celebrations, all four teams will search for a celebration of their own, as they all move to claim hardware and start 2026 on the right foot this weekend.
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