The University of Arizona’s men’s hockey team, for the first time in nine years, did not take home the Cactus Cup after losing to instate rivals ASU 1-0 Friday night at Tucson Arena.
In a game fraught with penalties, the Wildcats were unable to efficiently deliver passes, resulting in turnovers including one that the Sun Devils converted to the game’s lone goal.
The Wildcats seemed to be playing with distracted urgency resulting in overpowered passes that allowed ASU’s defense to reset and block any UA attempts at the goal.
Friday’s game included a number of penalties on both sides, from minor fouls to several big calls for holding, slashing, tripping and cross-checks. Players were skating so aggressively that at least four players’ twigs snapped and had to be replaced.
No. 6 ranked U of A came into Friday’s match tied 2-2 against ASU and had won their past three games, including recent matches against Grand Canyon University, ranked second in the WCHL division. The Sun Devils were ranked No. 10.
After Friday night’s loss, the Wildcats went into the locker room in silence. On Saturday morning, Head Coach Chad Berman gave a comment on the game.
“I am currently devastated and embarrassed by our performance. We had a great crowd and laid an egg. The blame falls on me, clearly I did not do a good enough job of preparing our team for the biggest game of the season.” he said. “To the city of Tucson, I promise to spend every waking day to make sure the Cactus Cup returns to where it belongs.”
Head coach Chad Berman and the team walk back to the locker rooms after losing their title as Cactus Cup champions in the Tucson Arena on Feb. 20. The team made their way to the locker rooms in silence.
The Wildcats put up a strong defense for most of the first period and were consistent on offense, having six shots on goal in the first 10 minutes.
In the final five minutes of the period, ASU forward Matthew Gross received the puck and shifted down the ice through the Wildcats defense, sending an assist to ASU defensemen Ty Marchant, who scored the only goal of the game.
The intensity between the rivals was at an all-time high with three penalties for the period. The Sun Devils maneuvered through the Wildcats with fast and clean passes, using their time on offense to quickly position themselves for a shot on goal.
The Wildcats defense dominated the second period with UA goalie Hadyn Gould making rapid saves against the ASU offense all period. There were two more penalties in the period including two-minute charges for ASU defensemen Danylo Sovivskyi for holding and UA defensemen Billy Moloney for holding.
The Wildcats began the third period with three immediate shots on goal from UA forward Dylan Walker, each more powerful than the last. ASU goalie Nate Glenn deflected all of them.
The third period saw both teams playing their most aggressively, leading to brief fights on the ice that had to be broken up by referees. there were two more penalties for ASU forwards Austin Cameron, who had a charge for holding, and Ryan Quast, who received a charge for tripping within the first 10 minutes of the period.
A University of Arizona player grabs an ASU player’s face mask in the final two minutes of the third period in Tucson Arena on Feb. 20. The referees made no calls on this play and the game continued.
As the time finished and the refs blew the whistle, the winning Sun Devils cleared their bench and threw their gear on the ice in celebration as the Wildcats skated to their bench. One UA player was seen stomping an ASU hockey stick on the ice and had to be escorted off by referees.
Despite Friday’s loss, the Wildcats will continue on to the 2026 ACHA National Championships March 12-22 at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Missouri.
“The national tournament is an honor and a privilege. We look forward to representing our university and the city of Tucson on the highest stage.” said Berman.
Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.
