(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
Arizona State women’s club ice hockey is headed to the playoffs with a bid for the first time in program history. The Sun Devils will compete in the Division I Western Women’s Collegiate Hockey League playoffs in Fremont, Nebraska, this weekend.
No. 15 ASU (8-13-1) is slated to take on No. 4 Lindenwood University-Belleville (20-6-1) Friday, and No. 13 Midland University (18-12-1) Saturday. Both are very familiar foes for the Sun Devils.
“Just because we do know the opponent, it makes preparing a little bit easier, especially having played them this season,” ASU head coach Lindsey Ellis said. “But I think when you look at last year and the playoff run we had because we were able to host, it is just that extra step that you see the players take during games. Our game against Lindenwood last year was probably one of our best games of the season, so I am just really excited to see that extra step this weekend.”
The 2018 WWCHL Conference Playoffs will also include Colorado University, Colorado State University and University of Minnesota alongside ASU, LB-U and Midland. Every team was a 2017-18 regular season challenger against the Sun Devils.
“I think we know what to expect,” ASU goaltender Jordan Nash-Boulden said. “I don’t think there’s going to be any surprises there this weekend.”
ASU lost to LU-B, 4-0, in last year’s playoffs when it played host. The Sun Devils also faced off against Midland that weekend, falling by just one score, 5-4.
However, ASU is drastically improved from last season. After posting six more wins this season and being ranked for two consecutive weeks, the Sun Devils feel they deserve to be in the playoffs this time around.
“One thing is we don’t get that automatic bid because we are not hosting, and we earned that spot,” Ellis said about the difference between this season and the last. “It just means a lot more that you earn that spot. And then secondly, it’s just that skill on the ice that we didn’t have last year, and I think obviously you can see that with our play this year.”
The Sun Devils met LU-B earlier this season at the WWCHL Showcase in Colorado. The Lynx took that game, 6-1, and ASU only had 11 shots on goal while LU-B posted 48 on ASU goaltender Nash-Boulden.
LU-B is led by Alahna Stivers, who is pacing the team with 32 points and 20 assists.
Michelle Coonan is the go-to goaltender for the Lynx. Coonan has recorded a .922 save percentage and 1.66 goals against average in 27 games played this season.
“We know we can play with them,” ASU senior forward Amber Galles said. “We have a chance. We just need to play strong, play our game, don’t play down to their level. Just do what we do best.”
Midland also made its first appearance against the Sun Devils in the 2017-18 season at the WWCHL Showcase tournament. The Warriors stole a 2-1 victory then.
Just two weeks later, ASU hosted Midland for a two-game series. The Sun Devils dropped both games, 5-1 Nov. 17, and 4-2 Nov. 18.
Midland’s Isabelle Uhl Chmiel, who scored four goals in the three games the two teams played, will be tough to slow down. As one of the nation’s top scorers, she leads the Warriors in goals (20) and points (39). Uhl Chmiel, however, also leads the country in penalty minutes with 134.
MU has four skaters, including Uhl Chmiel, with at least 30 points.
Tieryn Arens has 37 points, Savannah Wright has 33 and Mackenzie Bertolas has 30.
“I think it’s a lot of mental when it comes to them because we know what kind of teams they are,” Ellis said about both opponents. “It’s not an easy task, but I think it is something they are ready for.”
The Sun Devils have some firepower of their own, however. Galles has a team-best 12 goals and is tied with co-captain KC McGinley for the most points at 19 points accumulated in the regular season.
“Being here is kind of a shock for a lot of people,” Galles said. “A lot of people don’t think we are going to go very far. We need to believe in ourselves, coming in strong, knowing we can do this.”
This season’s monumental improvement can be credited much to Nash-Boulden. The sophomore has been a brick wall for the Sun Devils, playing in every one of the team’s 22 games.
Nash-Boulden has 852 saves, third-most in the ACHA, and posts a .923 save percentage. It was a preseason goal of hers to reach 1,000 saves and she has the chance to make it happen if the team can move on to a third game and play in the semi-finals, realistically.
“I think it would be pretty cool to put a cap on the work that we’ve done this year and to see that improvement for me from last year,” Nash-Boulden said a. “I guess when you take 1,000 saves, you realize that you have probably worked pretty hard.”
If ASU is able to win at least one game, the team will have the chance to play in the semifinal Saturday. A semifinal game win would place the Sun Devils in the league championship game Sunday at noon (CST).
“Our seniors aren’t ready to be done, I don’t think any of us are,” Nash-Boulden said. “To get a chance to play for a semifinal or a spot in the championship would mean a lot. Coming from last year, it was a total turnaround. I think to go in there and win a couple of games against teams in our conference would really seal the deal as far as showing how much we have improved from last year and how much we have improved even since the beginning of this year.”
ASU plans to stick to its regular game plan headed into the postseason and emphasize the importance of fundamentals.
“Perfecting the breakout and being able to make tape-to-tape passes,” Ellis said to be crucial. “Literally just the small things. We can’t change anything big right now going into playoffs and mess up our game, but just working on those little things.”
Both games will be bright and early at 9 a.m. CST, something the Sun Devils are used to after a regular season full of abnormal puck drop times and 7 a.m. practices.
“We have played all over the schedule realm,” Galles said. “I think having that coming in, we will be awake. It will be really helpful traveling the day before.”
The first game of the playoffs pits ASU against LU-B Friday, Feb. 23, at 9 a.m. CST. Saturday’s game against the host team, Midland, is set for 9 a.m. CST as well. A win for ASU in either game would be their first win in program history against a ranked opponent.
Every game of the weekend will be streamed on Midland’s website. WCSN will also provide live coverage from Fremont all weekend, you can follow @CronkiteSports for updates.
