MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The RMU men's hockey team begins 2025 by heading to Tempe, Arizona, to participate in the ASU Desert Classic. The tournament, hosted by Arizona State, will feature RMU, UMass, and Cornell. The Colonials will take on Arizona State in their opening game on Friday, January 3, at 9:00 PM ET. RMU will then face either UMass or Cornell in their second game on Saturday, January 4, at 5:00 PM ET. All games will be broadcast live on NCHC TV.
RMU LATELY
RMU (8-7-2, 5-5-1 #AHA) closed out 2024 with a sweep over Canisius, earning 5-2 and 3-1 victories. Junior goaltender
Dylan Meilun secured both wins, making 49 saves with a .943 save percentage. Contributions on offense came from multiple players, including captain
Cameron Garvey (1g, 2a), Buffalo native
Walter Zacher (2g, 1a), and sophomore
Tanner Klimpke (2g, 1a).
STATS AT THE HALFWAY POINT
- RMU leads the AHA in goals per game (3.4), ranking sixth in the NCAA.
- The Colonials' power play ranks first in the AHA with a 24% conversion rate, good for 13th nationally.
- Sophomore forward Walter Zacher tops the AHA with 11 goals, tying for second in the NCAA.
- Forwards Cameron Garvey and Tanner Klimpke hold a conference-best +13 rating.
ALL-TIME SERIES
- Arizona State: RMU has faced ASU four times but is still seeking its first win. Last season, Zacher tallied three assists in the series hosted by RMU.
- UMass: This weekend could mark the first meeting between RMU and UMass.
- Cornell: RMU has played Cornell once, falling 4-1 in 2006 in Ithaca, N.Y.
SCOUTING THE SUN DEVILS
Arizona State (8-7-1, 5-3-0 #NCHC) enters the Desert Classic on a five-game conference win streak. Defenseman Noah Beck leads the team with 15 points (3g-12a), while forwards Bennett Schimek and Ryan Kirwan have each scored seven goals. Goaltender Luke Pavicich has six wins in 10 starts with a .919 save percentage.
SCOUTING UMASS
Massachusetts (8-7-2, 2-5-2 #HockeyEast) split their recent series with ranked Boston University. Cole O'Hara leads the Minutemen in points (7g-16a—23), while Aydar Suniev has a team-high 10 goals. Goaltender Michael Hrabal has posted eight wins and a .917 save percentage in 16 starts.
SCOUTING CORNELL
Cornell (5-3-3, 3-3-2 #ECAC) is coming off a series split with Colgate. Sophomore forward Ryan Walsh leads the Big Red in goals and points (5g-5a—10), while Jonathan Castagna has a team-high six assists. Defensively, Hoyt Stanley leads with 22 blocked shots, and Ian Shane has started all 11 games in net, earning five wins and one shutout.
UP NEXT
Following the ASU Desert Classic, the Colonials return to AHA conference play with a two-game series at Holy Cross, scheduled for January 10-11.
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