Sun Devils Welcome Tough Competition for Desert Hockey Classic

(Photo Courtesy – Haley Rogalski)

The first half of the 2022-23 campaign was a challenging one for Arizona State Men’s Ice Hockey (10-11-0), with the Sun Devils consistently facing college hockey powerhouses such as North Dakota, Minnesota and Denver.

Things won’t get any easier for Greg Powers’ group in the latter part of the season, as ASU will kick off the new year by hosting No. 16 Michigan Tech (12-6-3), No. 6 Boston University (12-5-0) and Air Force (6-10-2) in the fourth annual Desert Hockey Classic tournament and the first since 2018-19.

While the Sun Devils have hosted an NCAA hockey tournament since becoming a Division-I program in 2015-16, the competition was not held during the 2017-18, 2019-20 or 2020-21 seasons. The Desert Hockey Classic has been played at multiple sites throughout the Grand Canyon State; Desert Diamond Arena (formerly Gila River Arena) in Glendale and Findlay Toyota Center (formerly Prescott Valley Event Center) in Prescott Valley.

However, it’s likely the event will no longer need to flip-flop between venues. Beginning this year, it will call the 5,000-seat Mullett Arena on ASU’s Tempe campus home.

The action starts on Friday, Jan. 6 as Desert Hockey Classic first-timers Boston University and Air Force face off at 3:30 p.m. MST. The Sun Devils – who have never placed higher than third in the four-team tournament – will cap off day one with a clash against Michigan Tech at 7 p.m. MST.

Friday’s winners will advance to the championship match, which will be played on Saturday. The remaining two teams will battle for third place in a consolidation game, also on Saturday. Win or lose, ASU is slated to play in the 7 p.m. slot, with the other contest starting at 3:30 p.m.

ASU is coming off of a weekend split with Boston College on Dec. 30 and 31 in Tempe. Despite a 5-2 loss in the opening contest, the Sun Devils were able to rebound with a 2-1 win the following day.

Junior forward Dylan Jackson, junior forward Ryan O’Reilly and sophomore forward Josh Doan all struck during the series for ASU, while sophomore defenseman Ethan Szmagaj scored his first of the season and it served as the game-winner for the Sun Devils in their final game of 2022.

Sophomore goaltender T.J. Semptimphelter was once again solid against the Eagles, making 87 saves on 92 shots throughout the series.

The Sun Devils’ first opponent, Michigan Tech, is one of four teams to win a Desert Hockey Classic title, leaving Arizona as co-champions with Yale in the inaugural tournament. The Huskies are once again a formidable opponent, achieving a 12-6-3 mark and a No. 16 ranking in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll heading into Friday.

MTU plays a strong defensive game headlined by outstanding goaltending. The Huskies concede just 2.33 goals against per game, the seventh-fewest in the country. Starting netminder Blake Pietila has posted an 11-6-2 in net this season with a 2.19 goals against average and .922 save percentage. But the senior’s most impressive stat is his four shutouts on the year, which is tied for the NCAA lead.

On offense, the biggest threat to the Sun Devils will likely be junior forward Ryland Mosley. The Arnprior, Ontario native is enjoying a career year in 2022-23, notching a team-leading nine goals and 12 assists in MTU’s 21 games.

Mosley’s linemate, freshman Kyle Kukkonen, is also a key contributor for the Huskies. With seven goals and seven helpers in 21 contests, the Anaheim Ducks’ sixth-round selection in 2021 has burst onto the college hockey scene and currently has the second-most points for MTU.

Boston University, the sixth-best team in the land, will be another tough draw for ASU should the two squads meet. Competing in an extremely deep Hockey East Conference, the Terriers are no strangers to the bright lights, as they boast an 8-5 record against top-20 opponents so far this year.

Senior forward Matt Brown leads BU in points, totalling eight goals and 16 assists through 17 games in 2022-23. Brown is quite familiar with the Sun Devils, as he notched three points in two games during the Terriers’ sweep of ASU last season.

Much like Michigan Tech, BU has a very productive freshman in defenseman Lane Hutson, a Montreal Canadiens second-round pick in 2022. Hutson is the ideal offensive-minded defenseman; in 16 contests, he has scored seven goals and 11 assists. The talented freshman is also reliable in his own end, blocking the fourth-most shots on the team with 20.

The Terriers are anchored defensively by two goaltenders: juniors Drew Commesso and Vinny Duplessis. Commesso, who has seen more action of the two, is 8-3 with a 2.74 goals against average and a .908 save percentage. Goalie No. 1B Duplessis has logged a 4-2 record, 2.48 goals against average, .908 save percentage and a shutout.

ASU’s last potential opponent is Air Force, who is in the midst of a five-game skid. The Falcons are also 1-5-1 on the road this season, but have shown they can compete with the nation’s best, picking up victories over then-No. 9 Notre Dame and RIT.

Junior forwards Will Gavin and Nate Horn are the top producers for Air Force with six goals and seven helpers apiece. Junior defenseman Luke Rowe also sits atop the Falcons’ scoresheet, notching five goals and eight assists.

The likely starter in net for Air Force is Chandler, Ariz. native Guy Blessing. In his second collegiate season, the goaltender has posted a 6-8-1 mark with a 3.23 goals against average and .889 save percentage.

All Desert Hockey Classic games can be viewed on the free ASU Live Stream.