Mark Messier is not someone often associated with collegiate women's hockey. This season, however, fans of Princeton's women's hockey team may see flashes of the New York Rangers' center in junior captain and center Andrea Kilbourne.
"She's definitely our Mark Messier," head coach Jeffrey Kampersal '92 said. "She's a 'lunch pail' type of player."
"I consider that a huge complement," Kilbourne said in response to her coach's comparison. "He's a big Messier fan."
Like Messier, Kilbourne leads her teammates by example as well as production — and the occasional icy stare.
"She doesn't say much, but she will give [her teammates] a look or a stare to motivate them," Kampersal said.
Silent but deadly
As quiet as Kilbourne is off the ice, her on-ice performances speak for themselves. She led the Tigers in scoring her freshman year with 44 points and was the team's co-MVP. Last year, Kilbourne led the team in assists (26) and was second on the team in goals (18). "Killer," as Kampersal calls her, has gotten off to an impressive start again this year.
Her third-period performance Sunday against Providence — in which she scored two goals and assisted on a third — allowed Princeton to scratch out a 4-4 tie in that game. The goals were her third and fourth of the year.
"She carried the team on her shoulders that last period," Kampersal said. "She's our goto player."
A member of the United States under-22 team, Kilbourne said that while she has played in some memorable games on the ice, it has been the interactions with her teammates that have had the greatest impact on her.
"Most of my memories are of our team off the ice," Kilbourne said. "My strongest memory is probably of our trip to Europe last year."
Kilbourne mentioned that the team's matchup against the U.S. Women's National Team last season was her fondest memory on the ice. The Tigers dropped that game 6-1 at Baker Rink.
"I'm always going to remember that," Kilbourne said. "We played with them; we played like we belonged on the same ice."
Ready to roll
Looking ahead to this season, Kilbourne feels that the Tigers are poised to make a run for the top of the Eastern College Athletic Conference standings.
"I have really high expectations for this season," Kilbourne said. "Not only are we really solid, but there's no real powerhouse in our league this year."
The outcome of Princeton's season may hinge on Kilbourne's ability to motivate the younger players who add depth to the team — one of the junior's strengths according to her coach.
"You can tell she's a leader on and off the ice," Kampersal said. "She leads by example. [Andrea] pours her heart and soul into every practice and every game."
"That's always been my mentality," Kilbourne said. "If I can carry that mentality to the team, we can really be successful."
Princeton's first test comes this Saturday against Dartmouth, a perennial ECAC power and a team the Tigers split two games with last season.
The Tigers will be missing one of the more productive members of last year's team, however. Annamarie Holmes will be playing with the U.S. National team this winter instead of with Princeton.
With Holmes out, Kilbourne will be expected to produce even more than usual in the offensive zone.
"She'll be expected to carry the load offensively for us this year," Kampersal said.
With only half of her collegiate hockey career behind her, Kilbourne figures to have a major impact on ECAC women's hockey during the next two years. If both her motivational and on-ice offensive skills live up to her NHL namesake (Messier), the Tigers could be looking forward to the first of several successful years to come.
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