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Hockey vies to strengthen foundation for playoffs

Forward Colin Hekle handles the puck during a game last season. After losing to Oakland in the postseason last year, the Sun Devils look forward to a return to the playoffs this season with the help of several new players. (Photo by Lisa Bartoli)
Forward Colin Hekle handles the puck during a game last season. After losing to Oakland in the postseason last year, the Sun Devils look forward to a return to the playoffs this season with the help of several new players. (Photo by Lisa Bartoli)

Forward Colin Hekle handles the puck during a game last season. After losing to Oakland in the postseason last year, the Sun Devils look forward to a return to the playoffs this season with the help of several new players. (Photo by Lisa Bartoli)

Other than the Phoenix Coyotes, there is another Arizona hockey team making a ruckus locally.

ASU’s hockey team may not be NCAA affiliated, but they have arguably been performing at that level.

Coming off a program’s best season — 29-4-3 —ASU hopes to continue the success they have had, and coach Greg Powers expects nothing less.

“As a program, we have built the consistency and have the building blocks in place that qualifying isn’t enough anymore,” Powers said.

“All we are focused on is doing what we have to on a daily basis to make sure that when tourney time rolls around, we are playing our very best hockey.”

Tournament play is something that comes very familiar to Powers and ASU.

Powers has led the team to the postseason the last two seasons, as well as three of his four seasons as a player at ASU.

The team hopes to continue this streak of postseason appearances with the help of their veteran players.

Goaltender Mark Schacker — one of the top goalies in the division last season — will need his skates to be filled.

With ASU’s first game just a week away, goaltenders Corey Frank, Joe D’Elia and Kyle Dietriech are in a heated battle for the starting spot between the pipes.

Nine of their top ten scorers return this season, as well as the addition of two transfer prospects that Powers expects to make an immediate impact.

“I expect a lot of our new guys to play prominent roles,” Powers said. “We have two transfers in Brian McGinty from NCAA D-I Canisisus, and Faiz Khan from UMASS-Boston, who are both great players.”

With the experience and veteran play this season, ASU hopes to outshine the outstanding performance of last year’s team.

After reaching the playoffs last season as the No. 4 seed, ASU was on upset alert versus No. 14 Oakland University.

Oakland ended up winning a heartbreaker over ASU 3-2 in overtime.

As disappointing as it was, Oakland then upset No. 1 Penn State and went on to the ACHA D-I championship game.

However, the horizons look bright for ASU hockey and their upcoming season.

Powers attributes his coaching career and experience at ASU to his coach while playing for the Sun Devils, Hall of Famer Gene Hammett.

“Coach Hammett brought me out to ASU,” Powers said. “I owe everything to him. I have such great respect for him and what he built here at ASU in laying the foundation for so many to follow.”

As long as Powers and his staff are behind the bench — continuing the player-first winning philosophy — the Sun Devils should continue their success on the ice.

ASU hockey takes on Texas A&M next Thursday, before taking on UA on Sept. 28 and 29 at Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe.

 

Reach the columnist at msterrel@asu.edu


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