The ASU hockey team made a name for themselves last season by making an NCAA tournament appearance for the first time in program history.
In the first game of the new season, the ASU will host Mercyhurst for two games this weekend.
Although the team was able to mesh in China over the summer, the Lakers will be its first test of the 2019-20 NCAA regular season.
“In China, that felt like kind of our first real game because everyone is fighting for their spot,” graduate student goaltender Max Prawdzik said.
Head coach Greg Powers acknowledged the challenges that the Lakers can present to the Sun Devils in the opening weekend.
“We know they’re going to be good, they’re always competitive,” Powers said of Mercyhurst. “Generally, they’re out of conference ... (and) they go and play big schools; they went to Wisconsin a couple years ago and beat them ... They’re ready to go.
"I think Rick (Gotkin) is the longest standing coach in Division I at his institution, so he’s experienced,” Powers said. "He’s been around the block. He’s seen everything."
Mercyhurst, a member of the Atlantic Hockey Conference, finished 13-20-5 (11-15-4 AHC) and won eight of its 19 road games last season.
Although the team lost its last five contests, it recorded wins against Holy Cross, Rochester Institute of Technology, Bentley and Air Force, all of whom will play ASU this season.
In the lead up to the matchup, Powers stressed the importance of coming out of the gate prepared.
“I’m sure they’ll be ready,” Powers said. “They’ll be excited to play, and sometimes that's the danger in playing a young team; they don’t know any better than to come out and play. We’re going to be prepared for them just like we would be anybody else.”
The Lakers also lost their top four point-scorers from the 2018-19 season.
The Sun Devils, on the other hand, will begin the season with a lot of returning talent to the lineup. One of them is junior forward Johnny Walker, who led the team in points last season with 34.
"We're looking to build on what we did last year," Walker said.
For the Sun Devils, that returning path to the NCAA tournament is just beginning, and it all starts against the Lakers Saturday night at Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe.
“We’re ready,” Powers said. “The guys are chomping at the bit to get in action and kick off the season.”
Reach the reporter at averyklatsky@gmail.com and follow @averyklatsky on Twitter.
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