Aztec ice men seek to regroup in weekend set against Wildcats

Eastlake High School alum Braden Mayer is entering his season season with the Aztecs. Photo by Phillip Brents

One game does not make a season, nor do two.

The San Diego State University men’s ice hockey team took it on the chin by scores of 12-1 and 8-0 in its season opening series against Grand Canyon University Sept. 19-20 at the Kroc Center Ice Arena.

It was a challenging matchup from the start with SDSU rebuilding to some degree from key losses to graduation and GCU coming off an appearance in the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s Division I national championship tournament. The 12th-seeded Antelopes won their first-round game against No. 21 Delaware to finish among the top eight teams in the country following a 3-2 loss to No. 5 University of Jamestown.

But the Aztecs battled in both games as best they could. They seemed to be a bit too excited while shaking off the jitters in front of a raucous SRO crowd lining the glass in the season opener. SDSU played much better in the return matchup despite players out with injury, and the the final score was not indicative of the actual game.

A better assessment of the 2025-26 season should come with this weekend’s two-game set at the Kroc Center against the University of Arizona Wildcats. Friday’s game faces off at 7:30 p.m., followed by Saturday’s game at 8:30 p.m.

Aztec players remain optimistic about the remainder of the season, including high impact encounters in Western Collegiate Hockey League play.

Four WCHL teams qualified for last season’s national championship tournament and as many are expected to vie for a national championship again this year, possibly even this weekend’s opponent.

“I’m super excited, a little nervous but feel confident about the year,” admitted Eastlake High School alumnus Braden Mayer, a junior defenseman on the team. “It’s very competitive. It’s fun when we play these teams, but it takes its toll.

“I think we have a hard-working team. I think it’s a group that will blend well together. I think everyone’s a little hungrier this year.”

Junior forward Brandon Grant scored the Aztecs’ lone goal against GCU, which out-shot the Aztecs 104-32 in the two games. Brody Hsiao chalked up 62 saves in the two outings while Liam Dee was credited with 22 stops.

The Lopes, keyed by Owen Hanson (five goals, one assist) and freshman Michael Schwartz (four goals), scored five power play goals and one shorthanded goal in the sweep.

Head coach Dean Wilson said the 2025-26 Aztecs remain young with only three seniors on the 33-man roster. There are 16 juniors on the team, including forward Cameron Ferraz, last season’s top scorer.

“The spirits are high,” Ferraz said. “I think there’s a good feeling throughout the team. We want to compete, show everyone we deserve to be higher in the rankings.”

Wilson was encouraged by his team’s play in the rematch. The Lopes led only 3-0 entering the third period with SDSU coming off two power play chances.

“Obviously, the compete level was there,” the SDSU coach said. “We eliminated their second and third chances, we stayed disciplined. You can’t let them have power plays. The first and second periods we battled with them.

“The boys bounced back after the shellacking we took from them in the first game. We had a lot of first-time players on the ice. There was a lot of nervous energy, but it turned into positive energy.”

Gulls notepad

The San Diego Gulls opened their 2025-26 American Hockey League training camp on Tuesday at Poway Ice in advance of the team’s preseason game Sunday in Ontario, the regular season opener Oct. 10 at Coachella Valley and its home opener Oct. 18 at Pechanga Arena against the Henderson Silver Knights.