(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
It’s wheels up to Colorado for the Arizona State Women’s Hockey team this weekend as the Sun Devils face off against the University of Denver, Midland, and Air Force in the Western Women’s Collegiate Hockey League Showcase.
It has been three weeks since the Devils last took the ice when they split a series with Grand Canyon, meaning the practices and anticipation will finally be put to rest in Colorado.
“Eyes on the ice, vision on the ice, breakouts,” head coach Lindsey Ellis said on what the team has been able to work on with three weeks off from game action. “Just working on the little things that we needed to improve on from our GCU series.”
This weekend will be a test for ASU, as they will play four games at a high level in less than 48 hours.
“Conditioning is obviously super important. but so is holding your teammates accountable and being able to do your off-ice workouts as hard as you can,” Ellis said. “I think we’re more prepared this year than we have been in previous years, so we’re really excited.”
For freshman forward Sydney Hancock, the challenge of playing four games over three days is not foreign.
“It’s not that new to me, but at this level, it’s definitely more advanced than I’m used to, so I think I’ll have some work to do,” Hancock said. “We’ll need to eat well, stay hydrated, all that stuff. I’m looking forward to it and it will really test our ability as a team.”
Colorado is also a familiar place for Hancock as she played club hockey for the Colorado Springs Tigers before joining ASU.
“I am so excited to be back in Colorado. That’s actually my favorite state,” Hancock said with a laugh. “I get to see some family while I’m there, that’s pretty cool. Colorado hockey has always been really good, so I’m excited to play against them.”
The first road trip of the season always provides a challenge to a fairly brand-new team.
“It’s going to be our first real test of the season on the road,” junior goaltender Jordan Nash-Boulden said. “I know that it’s always sort of an adjustment for everyone that hasn’t traveled for the team before.”
With the high elevation of Colorado, the adjustment for those who are not accustomed to it is significant.
“It’s kind of hard to prepare for just because if you’re not practicing in it, you really don’t know until you get there,” Ellis said. “Just being able to take shorter shifts that way they have fresh legs, fresh lungs every shift. You can’t get caught up being tired on the ice, especially with the higher elevation.”
With veterans that are used to the higher elevation, the team’s leaders will be able to provide help to the freshmen.
“We have experience with it and we know how to take care of ourselves to make that not have much of an impact, so hopefully we can pass it on to everyone else,” Nash-Boulden said. “It certainly plays a role and you can tell coming from a lower elevation and playing at a high altitude.”
The addition of 12 new players this season has provided more lines than years past, meaning more rest and fresh legs. ASU’s full roster this season compared to the short bench of years past will play a major factor in the Devils’ stamina throughout the weekend.
“This year is just a whole different ballgame in the way we practice and lead up to games just because we have so many more players,” Ellis said. “To have four separate lines is a crazy thought. We can switch things up during a game if things aren’t working and we’ve never had that option before.”
Of all the opponents they are facing this weekend, physicality is a point of emphasis that ASU’s opponents, especially Midland, deliver. Known for constant, competitive matchups, these teams will push the Sun Devils to match their aggressiveness.
Last season, the Sun Devils faced the Warriors four times, losing 2-1, 5-1, 4-2 and to be eliminated from the WWCHL playoffs, 5-1. With added depth and more experience, the games against Midland are ones ASU believes it can win.
“We’re excited to compete against [Midland]. It’s always good, hard hockey and we’re just excited to come out with a stronger team this year and compete harder,” Ellis said. “Denver is a pretty physical team as well. Midland, we’ve been practicing certain things in practice. Make quicker decisions and keep our heads up, because we know Midland is hard on the puck.”
Denver is also a team ASU is familiar with, a school the Sun Devils are undefeated against in the past two seasons and the program which the Sun Devils they won their first ever game against back in early 2017. Last year, ASU outscored the Pioneers 8-4 over two games.
This weekend is the beginning of a long stretch ahead for the Devils. They will be on the road for three out of the next four weekends, as they will be headed off to Missouri just four days after they get home from Colorado, then after a weekend at home, the team heads back out to Colorado for four more games.
For Ellis, these next few weekends are the true tests to see how much the team is ready for any type of adversity that comes their way this season.
“I know we said no excuses last year, but really there is absolutely no excuse now. Full roster, you can dress 21 we got 21. Everybody needs to be working hard and if they’re not, they’re not going to be on the ice.”
The WWCHL Showcase begins with a 4 p.m. match Friday against Denver, a 10 a.m. game with Midland and 7 p.m. showdown against a Air Force Saturday and an 8:15 matchup with Midland again Sunday.
The Saturday evening game against Air Force will be the first meeting for the two schools, as the Falcons are in their inaugural season. The game will not be counted in the standings or for statistics, as Air Force is not registered as an ACHA team.
