Previewing each of No. 12 ASU’s potential opponents in the Desert Hockey Classic

(Photo: Marins Williams/WCSa)

Less than a week after winning its first in-season tournament since 2018, No. 12 Arizona State men’s hockey will look to add more hardware to this year’s trophy case.

In their final two games of 2023, the Sun Devils (14-3-5) defeated Clarkson and then-No. 17 Cornell — the 3-2 shootout victory against the Big Red was officially ruled a tie, however — in Lake Placid, New York to win the first-ever Adirondack Winter Invitational tournament. Now, ASU returns to Mullett Arena to kick off the New Year by hosting the fifth annual Desert Hockey Classic, which will take place on Jan. 5-6.

Since debuting in the 2015-16 season, the single-elimination tournament has bounced around venues, being held at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale (formerly known as Gila River Arena) for two years and the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley (formerly known as Prescott Valley Events Center) in 2016-17. But starting last year, it was relocated to the newly-opened Mullett Arena and will likely remain there for the foreseeable future.

Aside from its hosts, the 2024 rendition of the Desert Hockey Classic features Harvard, Omaha and UMass Lowell. The weekend will begin with the latter two teams facing off at 3:30 p.m. MST, followed by ASU taking on the Crimson in Friday’s nightcap at 7 p.m. MST. The losers from day one will play for third place in the consolation game on Saturday while the winners will battle in the championship game. The Sun Devils are guaranteed to play in Saturday’s late slot whether they win or lose on Friday.

Despite always hosting, the ASU has never achieved a top-two finish in the Desert Hockey Classic — a big reason for this being the fierce competition that usually comes to the Grand Canyon State in early January. Three of its four previous opponents on day one of the tournament were either top-20 teams or went on to qualify for that year’s NCAA Tournament.

On paper, the Sun Devils reaching the championship game this year seems quite attainable, as Harvard enters the weekend with just one victory on a 2023-24 campaign that has been extremely disappointing to date. However, the Crimson are less than a year removed from reaching the NCAA Tournament, and will undoubtedly prove a tough test for ASU.

“Skilled, really talented, young,” Powers said of Harvard. “I know they’re really frustrated with their results, but they’re better than their record. So it’s going to be a good game, they’re good, they’re really talented.”

Facing two different opponents with an extremely short turnaround time — 24 hours, to be exact — means that there’s only so much preparation the Sun Devils can do for Omaha or UMass Lowell. Instead, it will be important for ASU to focus on its own game, something Powers stressed last weekend in Upstate New York.

“That’s why it’s so important to establish what your identity is, because you’ve got to focus on yourself,” Powers said. “You’ve got to play to your identity when you switch opponents back-to-back days.”

While the Sun Devils will rightfully be honed in on themselves this weekend, this article will provide detailed looks at Harvard and the other two teams in the tournament, both of which are potential day-two opponents.

Harvard (1-7-3 Overall, 1-4-3 ECAC)

As noted above, the 2023-24 campaign has yielded tremendously underwhelming results for a Harvard squad picked to finish third in the ECAC Preseason Poll and began the season at No. 17 in the USCHO.com Poll. But considering how different their current team looks from that of last year — which finished 24-8-2 and qualified for the 2023 NCAA Tournament — the Crimson experiencing at least some level of regression this season was to be expected.

During this past offseason, Harvard lost nine players, with all but three signing with professional teams. Predictably, six of these players were major contributors in 2022-23, but the four biggest losses were junior Sean Farrell (53 points), junior Alex Laferriere (42 points), sophomore Matthew Coronato (36 points) and senior Henry Thrun (31 points), all NHL draftees who signed with their respective organizations.

Even with the aforementioned nine departures, the Crimson had the third-youngest team in the nation last season, a rank they’ve carried into this year. However, due to the Ivy League’s Academic standards, member schools seldom accept transfers, making it nearly impossible for them to bring in seasoned veterans or patch holes in their rosters. The result of this is 20-year head coach Ted Donato routinely playing six freshmen in his starting lineup.

Make no mistake, Harvard possesses a great deal of talent despite losing much of its production, which played into the optimistic outlook it was given heading into the season. The Crimson have 11 NHL draft picks on their roster, three of whom are in their first year playing college hockey.

But through 11 games in 2023-24, there is still much for Harvard to figure out. After posting a respectable 0-1-3 start, the Crimson downed then-No. 7 Cornell on the road in what appeared to be a statement victory that could be built upon. Harvard then scored a season-high five goals in its following contest, a 6-5 defeat to then-No. 15 Massachusetts, but two more hard-fought losses to tough opponents — then-No. 3 Boston College and Clarkson — seemingly derailed its season, as it’s failed to win a game since defeating the Big Red in November.

If you’re wondering what the Crimson’s most glaring weakness has been so far this season, look no further than their current six-game losing streak. The five-goal outburst against Massachusetts aside, they’ve scored just five goals in their last five games and have been shut out twice during that span. This dry stretch points to an overarching season-long theme, with Harvard currently logging the second-fewest shots and goals per game in the country.

One area in which Harvard has looked strong is on the power play. While not very effective in scoring on even strength, the Crimson have converted on the man advantage at a 21.2% clip, good for 18th in the nation. Junior forward Alex Gaffney leads Harvard with three power-play goals this season.

Despite generally struggling to put pucks in the net to date, the Crimson do have some bright spots on offense. Sophomore forward and Toronto Maple Leafs draft choice Joe Miller has emerged as Harvard’s primary goal-scoring threat, potting five goals and adding two helpers.

Freshman forwards Cam Johnson and Ben MacDonald — a Seattle Kraken prospect — have also shown flashes and cemented themselves as instant contributors, as they’ve recorded six and five points respectively. On the backend, sophomore defenseman Ryan Healey has already matched his point total from last season with eight and leads all defensemen on the scoresheet.

Allowing the seventh-most shots per game (35.4) and the tenth-most goals against per game (4.8) in the country, Harvard also has some work to do within its own end. However, much of the blame for this isn’t shouldered by its goaltenders, who have managed to put up solid numbers despite consistently being peppered with shots.

Getting the nod between the pipes five times this season, sophomore Aku Koskenvuo has put up a 3.35 goals against average and .910 save percentage, while senior Derek Mullahy has started one more game and has a 3.16 goals against average along with a .902 save percentage.

Omaha (9-5-2 Overall, 3-4-1 NCHC)

The second-best team in the Desert Hockey Classic solely based on record, Omaha has experienced an up-and-down first half to its 2023-24 season. So far, the Mavericks’ predicted sixth-place finish in the NCHC Preseason Poll is spot-on, as that’s exactly where they sit 16 games into the year.

Similarly to Harvard, Omaha saw multiple key pieces depart its program during the offseason, albeit on a much smaller scale than the Crimson. Forward Tyler Weiss (27 points) and defenseman Jonny Tychonick (26 points) both signed with the Maple Leafs, and sophomore forward Cameron Berg (24 points) transferred to in-conference foe North Dakota. While losing three impact players is normal for any program, it’s likely the driving reason for Omaha’s relatively low preseason expectations in the NCHC.

But defying early projections has quickly become head coach Mike Gabinet’s team’s bread and butter.

Last season, the Mavericks were pegged to finish second-to-last in the eight-team conference. However, Omaha finished as a top-half team in the country in most major statistics, and occupied third place in the NCHC with a 19-15-3 record at the conclusion of the regular season, trailing only Denver and Western Michigan. The magical season ended in the first round of the conference tournament though, with North Dakota downing the Mavs two games to one in a best-of-three series.

So far this year, in the PairWise Rankings at least, it appears Omaha could be well on its way to once again silencing the doubters this year, as it is listed as the 23rd-best team in the nation. While this number may seem a bit high at first glance, it makes sense considering the strength of its schedule. The Mavericks have already played four ranked opponents — three of which came in conference play — and have fared relatively well all things considered, posting a 2-4-2 mark in those games.

Through eight NCHC games, Omaha should certainly be content with a 3-4-1 record against conference foes, as they are routinely tasked with facing some of the nation’s best squads. Splitting series with then-No. 11 Western Michigan and then-No. 3 Denver — on the road no less — is no small feat, not to mention the Mavericks played managed splits against Minnesota Duluth and then-No. 15 St. Cloud State.

Gabinet’s group is at its best in tightly-contested games, as seven of its nine victories have been determined by just one goal. And so far, this method of winning games appears sustainable. For the most part, Omaha is a very defensively-sound team, conceding the 25th-fewest goals against per game (2.8) and 16th-fewest shots against per game (27.2) in all of college hockey. In addition to this, the Mavericks are solid while a man down, killing penalties to the tune of 81.8%, good for 28th in the country.

The most proficient aspect of Omaha’s game this year, however, has undoubtedly come inside the faceoff circle. The Mavericks lead the nation in faceoff percentage through half of the season, winning 55.7% of their draws. Taking the most faceoffs for Omaha, sophomore forward Ty Mueller (310) and graduate student Nolan Sullivan (311) are also their team’s most dependable on draws, both winning over half the time.

In terms of offensive contributors in 2023-24, Mueller has been the Mavericks’ most impressive all-around player to date. The Vancouver Canucks draftee has six goals and six assists in 16 games and uses his silky mitts and deceptive skating to create opportunities for himself and his teammates.

Graduate forward Jack Randl led his team in scoring last season with 34 points in 37 games, but has gotten off to a slow start this year, notching only eight points in 16 contests. However, Randl certainly shouldn’t be overlooked, as he will make the Mavericks’ attack all the more imposing whenever his scoring touch is rekindled.

Omaha also has ample offense generated from its blue line. Sophomore defenseman Griffin Ludtke has spearheaded the charge on the backend, using his incredible vision to find teammates in opportune areas of the rink. Ludtke is also more than willing to let a shot go from high in the offensive zone, resulting in lots of deflections and a long-range snipe here and there. While he’s only scored two goals himself, his elite playmaking ability has earned him seven assists on the young season.

After posting a respectable 12-point freshman campaign, sophomore defenseman and Washington Capitals draft pick Joaquim Lemay’s offensive game appears to have taken a step forward. The Quebec native has notched four goals and six assists in 13 games and has been a weapon on the man advantage, lighting the lamp a team-leading three times on the power play.

The Mavericks are anchored by sophomore goaltender Simon Latkoczy, who can often be depended upon to come up with a big stop. So far this season, Latkoczy has a 2.45 goals against average and .910 save percentage over 12 starts, solid numbers considering he plays in the offensively-stout NCHC.

UMass Lowell (6-11-2 Overall, 3-6-1 Hockey East)

Last but certainly not least in this article is UMass Lowell. Much like Omaha — who they will face in the tournament’s opening game on Friday — the River Hawks belong to one of college hockey’s premier conferences in the Hockey East. So while their 6-11-2 mark through half of the season may appear unimpressive, it’s important to take it with a grain of salt.

UMass Lowell’s subpar record becomes even more deceiving when looking at the games it lost. Sure, there have been some blowouts, such as a 6-1 thumping by then-No. 8 Boston University on Nov. 11 and a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Bentley. But for the most part, the River Hawks have managed to keep games competitive no matter who their opponent may be, as nine of their 11 losses have been decided by two goals or less.

Heading into the season, UMass Lowell wasn’t expected to compete with powerhouses such as Boston College and Boston University for the Hockey East title, and the experts had it slated to finish seventh out of 11 teams in the conference’s Preseason Poll. Emerging from league play with a winning record is even harder this season because of teams like No. 7 Maine, No. 9 Providence and No. 17 New Hampshire all greatly exceeding expectations, which has made the Hockey East arguably the best conference in college hockey.

UMass Lowell shares another similarity to the opponent it’ll face in round-one of the Desert Hockey Classic. Comparably to Omaha, it no longer has a great deal of last year’s production on its roster. Each of the River Hawks’ top three point-getters during the 2022-23 — forward Carl Berglund (27 points), defenseman Jon McDonald (20 points) and forward Brian Chambers (19 points), who transferred to ASU — all departed the program, not to mention bona fide No. 1 netminder Davis Gustavs Grigals (2.05 goals against average, .924 save percentage) exhausted his eligibility.

What makes UMass Lowell different from the Mavericks, though, is that so far, it hasn’t had a ton of players step up to fill the void left by its departures.

So predictably, the main issue for head coach Norm Bazin’s squad this season has been on offense. While UMass Lowell has been lights out on defense — it relinquishes the 21st-fewest shots per game (28) and 18th-fewest goals against per game (2.6) in the country — it’s attack has struggled to find consistency and keep up with its often high-scoring opponents.

Through 19 games, the River Hawks slot in as the country’s 42nd-best team in terms of shots per game and are tied at 60th in goals per game. At times, it seems they simply struggle to create high-danger scoring chances, and when they do generate opportunities, they have trouble finishing them off. Being on the man advantage doesn’t help these woes, as UMass Lowell is tied for the fourth-lowest power play success rate in college hockey.

If there’s any consolation for the River Hawks’ offense, it’s that multiple contributors from last year’s team could still have their best hockey in front of them. Two prime examples of this are junior defenseman Isac Jonsson and senior defenseman Ben Meehan.

While a defenseman’s first priority is naturally to defend — offense comes second and is a bonus — both showed they can make an impact on the scoresheet. In 2022-23, both players notched 17 points in 34 games, but haven’t found the same success a year later. This season, Jonsson has a lone goal and five assists in 19 games, and while solid, is certainly a step back from last year. Meehan, a Kings draftee, has only played in nine contests so far and has looked strong defensively, but has just three points during that stretch.

UMass Lowell has been paced by sophomore forward Scout Truman, who has logged 14 points in 19 contests. With a goal in his team’s last game against American International, junior center Cole Owen snapped a nine-game drought during which he didn’t record a single point. Still, The Ontario native has the second-most points on the River Hawks with 11, and with his playmaking ability and strong hand-eye coordination, he will likely return to his old self sooner rather than later.

The River Hawks’ top two goal scorers are undoubtedly junior forward Matt Crasa and sophomore forward Nick Rhéaume. If Crasa scores once, he’ll likely light the lamp in on the same night, as he’s scored six of his seven goals this season over two games — including a four-goal performance at Colgate on Oct. 20. Also a sniper, Rhéaume is definitely the more consistent scorer, but even he is prone to up-and-down production.

Juniors Luke Pavicich and Henry Welsch make up a strong goaltending tandem for UMass Lowell, as both are dependable options on any given night. As expected, Welsch has taken the brunt of the workload, starting 12 games and posting a 2.19 goals against average along with a .920 save percentage. Serviceable in his own right, Pavicich has a 2.99 goals against average and .896 save percentage through seven starts this year.