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ASU Hockey: Sun Devils begin the Ice Vegas Invitational

By Carson Roberts

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 11: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil stands on the court during a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the USC Trojans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 11, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USC won 67-64. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 11: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil stands on the court during a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the USC Trojans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 11, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USC won 67-64. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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ASU hockey will look to rebound from a poor showing in the Three Rivers Classic as the Sun Devils play in the inaugural Ice Vegas Invitational

Now well into the 2017-18 season, the Sun Devils enter their second, and final, midseason tournament. The Ice Vegas Invitational begins Friday night and concludes Saturday.

Arizona State (4-12-4) will look to improve upon a disappointing showing at the Three Rivers Classic in Pittsburgh. The team dropped both games, a 6-0 loss to Providence and a 4-1 loss to Lake Superior State, in what were their final outcomes of 2017.

The Sun Devils admittedly had a rough tournament; however, head coach Greg Powers will undoubtedly use the experience as a chance to improve before the team’s trip to Las Vegas.

The team already showed signs of improvement in their loss to Lake Superior State. After being heavily outshot and criticized for an apparent lack of effort, the Sun Devils produced 49 shots against LSSU.

Unfortunately, a strong performance by junior goaltender Nick Kossoff stymied the Devils’ record setting onslaught.

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Arizona State must show the same tenacity and eagerness to shoot this weekend if they want to steal a game in Las Vegas.

Two players who will look to create chances for the Sun Devils are forward Johnny Walker and defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk. The two lead the team in shots on the season with 66 and 64, respectively.

It is also worth noting that the team’s leaders in shots in their game against Lake Superior State were Brett Gruber and Tyler Busch, who each finished with seven shots on goal.

The feat is significant considering the two sophomore forwards lead the team in points and are the only two to have double digit scoring totals at this point in the year. Now, it seems that they are taking a leadership role in the offense.

One player who would love to see the offense produce more chances is sophomore Joey Daccord. The young netminder has been left out to dry in many games this season.

Nonetheless, Daccord has stood strong in net. He has recorded at least 30 saves in 14-of-18 appearances this season, including in nine of his last 10 games in the crease.

The Sun Devils will use the Ice Vegas Invitational to continue to build their young program. Their first game for Friday at 8:30 p.m. MT against Northern Michigan.

The Wildcats (11-9-2) have a multitude of scoring threats, including senior Robbie Payne. Payne leads the NCAA in goals this season with 16.

Northern Michigan also boasts two solid goaltenders in Atte Tolvanen and Mathias Israelsson. Both juniors have a GAA below 3.00, while Tolvanen also has a couple of shutouts to his name.

After their game against Northern Michigan, the Sun Devils will have a matchup with either Boston College or Michigan Tech, depending on how the Friday night games turn out.

The Eagles (10-7-2) are a perennial hockey powerhouse, and are much more talented than their record suggests. The team relies on a group effort to score, as they have five different players with five goals on the season.

The Huskies (10-8-5) are a tough opponent for Arizona State as well. The high scoring team is led by Jake Jackson, who has nine goals, but also has three more players with seven goals scored.

The upside to a potential matchup with Michigan Tech is that Arizona State could get a feel for their playing style before their series in February.

Next: ASU Hockey: Sun Devils come up empty in Three Rivers Classic

This weekend is a big one for the Sun Devils, as the team attempts to put a poor showing in Pittsburgh behind them while building momentum for the second half of the season. The high-profile matchups in the Ice Vegas Invitational should give the young program an opportunity to grow.