Sun Devil hockey's hybrid NCAA season will feature a healthy balance of mature leaders looking to continue their ACHA success and youthful talent ready to make an immediate impact.
And although it will be tough to predict the line combinations because practice has been closed to media due to NCAA regulations, we did our best to give a rough projection of the offensive look for this year's team.
Top line
Garrett Peterson (Gr.): Peterson is a graduate transfer from Notre Dame who is expected to make an immediate impact at ASU. His 41 games played with the Irish makes him the most experienced DI player at ASU. He tallied three goals—one game-winning—and two assists during his time in South Bend, Indiana. He was named a team captain on Tuesday.
Liam Norris (Gr.): Norris will begin his fifth year with the Sun Devils this season after a 2014-15 campaign that ended with him being named WCHL MVP. Last year, he led ASU with an impressive 50 points (14 goals, 36 assists). In addition, he has tallied 134 points in his career at ASU, eclipsing the 100-point, 100-game mark for the Sun Devils. His presence will be critical for the team in its first year in the NCAA. Norris was also named a team captain on Tuesday.
Ryan Belonger (Jr.): The Green Bay, Wisconsin, native brings valuable DI experience to the table as he tallied five goals and two assists with Northeastern University in 2013. He played for Team USA in the 2015 Winter World Games in Granda, Spain, and is the cap to what would be an experienced top line for the Sun Devils.
Second line
Jack Rowe (Fr.): Rowe is one of the recruits brought in for the DI program and is expected to contribute quickly. He won seven Illinois state championships in his high school and club career before playing for four USHL teams.
Ryan Ostertag (Jr.): The 6-0, 180-pound forward is one of ASU's key returners. As a freshman, he was named ASU's Rookie of the Year, scoring the goal that won the National Championship and earning a First Team All-Tournament selection for the ACHA National Tournament.
Charlie Zuccarini (Fr.): Zuccarini is another freshman who apparently is already looking good in the team's limited practices. His ability to score goals at a high rate should give him some solid time on the ice. Most recently, he did this in Monday's team scrimmage.
#Zuuuuuuuc going in with speed to win yesterday's scrimmage for Team Black in a shootout! @chzucc25 pic.twitter.com/r4otIgNELp
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) September 22, 2015
Third line
Patrick Yudez (Jr.): Yudez is another returner from the ACHA squad who tallied 14 and seven points in his freshman and sophomore years, respectively. According to head coach Greg Powers on thesundevils.com, Yudez is the hardest working player he's ever coached.
Michael Cummings (Jr.): Cummings is another player from the 2013 ACHA National Championship ASU team. He tallied 14 goals and 10 assists for the ACHA Sun Devils last season including his first career hat trick at ASU against Central Oklahoma back on Jan. 10.
Eric Rivard (Jr.): Rivard is a 6-1, 201-pound forward whose size will help ASU win the puck battles needed to swing momentum, which is a perfect fit for the checking line. He led the ACHA Sun Devils in scoring last year with 22 goals, which will give the third line a positive boost.
Fourth Line
Joe Lappin (Fr.): Lappin was drafted No. 64 overall by Bloomington in the 2014 USHL Entry Draft. Powers said the team will lean on Lappin for goal-scoring purposes right away at ASU.
Louie Rowe (Fr.): At 6-6, 235, Rowe is the biggest player on ASU and will give the team an added physical edge on the energy line. The Michigan native said he came to the desert to be part of the tradition. He should have a chance to make an immediate impact along with his fellow freshmen.
Matt Kennedy (Fr.): On thesundevils.com, Powers credited Kennedy's full 200-foot game and his skating ability, which could serve the Sun Devils well. He also said he expects the freshman to have a huge impact early on in his ASU career.
Notable redshirts/inactives
Dylan Hollman (RJr.): Transferred to ASU from UMass-Lowell, but will redshirt the 2015-16 season and be back next year.
Wade Murphy (RJr.): The former Nashville Predators draft pick in the 2013 NHL draft will be forced to sit the 2015-16 season due to NCAA transfer rules, but will be back in 2016.
David Norris (RJr.): Norris will be back for the 2016-17 season
Jake Montgomery (RSo.): Montgomery will be back for the 2016-17 season.
Sun Devil hockey will look to utilize its new offensive threats when it faces off against rival Arizona on Oct. 3 at Gila River Arena.
Related Links:
ASU hockey names three captains for inaugural season
ASU hockey position preview: Defensemen, Goaltenders
Reach the reporter at Justin.Toscano@asu.edu or follow @justintoscano3 on Twitter
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