At the start of the season, the Arizona State Sun Devils were ranked by media and experts to finish in eighth place in the NCHC. The poll proved to be on the path of being correct after ASU started the season 3-7-1 and in an early hole that they’d have to navigate themselves out of.
They did navigate out of their self-inflicted hole and ended the season second in the NCHC, hosting Minnesota Duluth in a home playoff game. While there are many positives to look at, the Denver Pioneers beat ASU in their fifth meeting this season, 4-2.
Related: Arizona State Sweeps Minnesota Duluth; Advances to NCHC Semifinals
“It was a hard-fought game, obviously could’ve gone either way,” head coach Greg Powers said. “We dug ourselves a little bit of a hole, but we’ve been a resilient group all year.
Coming back down 2-0 in the second period, this game had it all for Powers and the Sun Devils, but ultimately they fell just short.
Artem Shlaine’s 24/7 Impact
Talking to graduate senior Artem Shlaine throughout this season has been an absolute treat. He’s one of the best players you’ll ever talk to. He’s super insightful and has a great sense of humor.
On the ice, the 23-year-old has been enjoying a senior year surge, with 17 goals and 38 points in 31 games. Although he was injured for the first portion of the season, once he made his way into the lineup, he made an immediate impact.
Shlaine scored the second goal against the Pioneers to tie the game up, and while ASU still fell short, he’s been in the right place at the right time in situations like that all season long.
“You come in, transfer in for one year and all the boys, the staff takes you in. Makes it a special year, special run, definitely going to be remembered as the first team in the NCHC,” Shlaine said. “It was unbelievable, how the guys took us in, I think I’d recommend this place to anyone.”
It’s not going to be easy to replace a player and person like Shlaine, who is always high energy, wins draws consistently, and is over a point per game. Players like Shlaine simply don’t come very often.
We’ll see how ASU goes into next season roster-wise, but one thing is for certain: They’ll be looking for a Shlaine in the transfer portal.
Denver Simply Overpowered ASU in the End
Throughout the game, Denver seemed to get better, and the scoreboard showed that at the end of the first period when they led 2-0. ASU climbed back and tied it with 30 seconds left in the second period, but multiple turnovers and a defensive breakdown led to Denver scoring two in the third period, capping off their fifth game with ASU this season.
“It was really admirable how we dug ourselves out of it, had some good chances there in the third. Obviously, their goalie made some big saves, and they really had one scoring chance, and credit to them in the third. They buried it and found a way to win, and they’re a great team and a great program,” Powers said. “We have a ton of respect for them and proud of our group; couldn’t be more proud.”
With ASU sweeping the Pioneers earlier in the season in Denver and the defending national champions defeating Colorado College 9-2 during last weekend’s quarterfinal game, you could tell from the start that they were hungry to get back at ASU.
With so many talented pieces throughout the lineup, ASU knew what kind of team they were facing, but couldn’t capitalize on the chances they got, thus losing 4-2.
Farewell to Seniors
During Powers’ opening press conference, he constantly repeated the desire to be an older team and veteran-heavy. He wanted to bring in players who were familiar with conference play, and they got a lot of that with their seniors this season.
The seniors on the roster right now are Luke Pavicich, Noah Beck, Ty Murchison, Artem Shlaine, Benji Eckerle, Ty and Dylan Jackson, Ethan Szmagaj, Lukas Sillinger, and Ryan Kirwan.
All 10 of these players played big roles with ASU this season and made a difference not only on the ice but also in the culture. As mentioned earlier with Shlaine, replacing some of these guys is not going to be easy.
Take Kirwan, for example. It’s not likely you’ll find a 26-goal scorer in the portal, or bring a freshman in. We’ll see how the next wave of youth fills in for these players, but their impact, especially in their first season in the NCHC, was palpable.
ASU Has Eyes Set on 2025-26 Season
With the loss, that’ll wrap up the 2024-25 season for the maroon & gold. The only chance they had at making the Frozen Four in April was to win the NCHC and earn an automatic bid, but as mentioned, they fell just short. While this will sting for a while in the desert, vibes for next season couldn’t be higher.
