(Photo: Aiden Longbrake/WCSN)
Revenge in sports is often talked about from the perspective of the team that lost the first time, but it is rare to see anything about the team that initially won. This weekend, Arizona State has the opportunity to tell its side of this revenge story.
The 7-8-1 Sun Devils will travel to Duluth with an opportunity to extend their current three-game win streak, their longest of the season. ASU is fresh off its bye week after sweeping Ohio State two weeks ago, trailing in both games before roaring back for a pair of overtime victories.
Their win over the Buckeyes on November 29 appears to have been a turning point for the Sun Devils, who struggled early on in closing out games and finding ways to win close ones. In that contest, ASU found itself in a deep three-goal deficit with 15 minutes left in the third period. The Sun Devils proceeded to rattle off one of the most impressive comebacks, winning in overtime 4-3 on a game-winner from sophomore forward Cullen Potter.
“It was what our identity needs to be,” head coach Greg Powers said of that last 15 minutes. “Just relentless and heavy on pucks and hunting pucks. From the net out, every guy on the bench just had a refuse to lose attitude. We saw what we could do in 15 minutes.”
As Powers said, ASU was playing the type of hockey it had been looking for all season long. Looking back to its first game of the season, veteran players such as senior captain Kyle Smolen insisted that the team needed to play a more physical, greasier brand of hockey. In that third period against OSU, the Sun Devils were all over the Buckeyes, not letting their goalie or defense breathe, exactly what Smolen was looking for.
“I think we raised the level of competition and focus a little bit.” Smolen said, “I think early on we were struggling with staying focused throughout the course of an entire game. I also think we are competing at a higher level. Everyone in the room is finding what works for them, and it’s clicking a little bit.”
Now, ASU looks to take its newfound success into Minnesota, as it matches up against No. 5 Minnesota Duluth for a weekend series in a rematch of last year’s NCHC Quarterfinals. In that series, ASU won game one 4-3, followed by a thriller in which the Sun Devils turned a 3-0 deficit into an eventual 6-5 OT victory to eliminate the Bulldogs.
“Not a doubt in my mind,” Smolen said on whether Duluth will have the playoff loss on their minds, “I think we have to be ready for a hungry team, and they’re a really good hockey team. If I were in their shoes, I know I would want a little bit of revenge.”
The Bulldogs come into this series at 13-5-1, including big wins against No. 4 North Dakota, No. 7 Western Michigan, and No. 19 Colorado College, sitting third in the NCHC standings. Duluth is currently the 18th-ranked offensive team, averaging 3.43 goals per game. However, the Bulldogs are also dominating the defensive zone, only giving up 1.89 goals per game, which is fifth nationally.
“They’re as good as it gets.” Powers said, “They’re deep, they’re structured, they work, they have the best line in the country. Everybody knows how good these three kids are. Their goaltender is playing unbelievably. They’re really, really tough.”
The three aforementioned kids, sophomore forwards Zam Plante, Max Plante, and Jason Shaugabay, have combined for 72 points. All three of these young forwards are NHL draft picks, and Max Plante, who has 14 goals and 28 points on the season, was named to the U.S. Roster for the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase. This line has exploded after a quiet freshman year and is a clear reason why the Bulldogs are ranked fifth in the USCHO rankings and fourth in the NCAA Percentage Index.
“It’s an opportunity for us.” Powers said, “We look at it as nothing other than a tremendous opportunity to really get back in a position where our season, we feel like we control our destiny. And I think if we go up there and have a really good weekend, I think that we’ll exit the weekend knowing that we control our destiny.”
Even with the Sun Devils’ recent success, they still see themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to the NPI rankings and their hopes of returning to the NCAA tournament for just the third time. ASU is currently sitting at 41st in the NPI, far too low for a team that needs to get into the top 16. Part of this is because the Sun Devils haven’t won a game in regulation in almost a month, which the NPI takes into account.
“We’re not where we want to be in the NPI right now.” Powers said, “Our record is climbing back with winning, I think, what, four of our last five and three in a row, but we’re winning games in overtime. We’ve got to get some regulation wins. We’ve got to get some road wins against really highly ranked teams, like we did in North Dakota. And that’s the opportunity in front of us.”
If the Sun Devils are to get themselves back in NCAA Tournament contention, they will need to find a way to continue their run of form and find a way to win games against highly ranked opponents. The good news for ASU is that four of its next six opponents are currently ranked, which will give the Sun Devils an opportunity to right their early wrongs.
This tough run of games will start in Duluth Friday night, when the Sun Devils take on the Bulldogs at 6:07 MST. Greg Powers’ team will try to avoid Duluth’s revenge story, along with getting their own season back on track.
“After the next four games, I can’t imagine a tougher schedule in the country,” Powers said, “I would imagine we have a top five schedule in the country, maybe a top schedule in the country. So, you have to look at it as an opportunity.”
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