No. 10 w. hockey extends unbeaten streak to 10 games

Contrary to the widely held belief that Princeton athletes glumly pass their Winter Break "stuck on campus," the women's hockey team (9-4-3 overall, 3-3-1 Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey League) enjoyed some time on the road over break.

The No. 10 Tigers first traveled to Massachusetts, where they picked up two dramatically different road wins over Northeastern and Boston College on Dec. 11 and 12, respectively. The squad then rested up for its New Year's Day game at No. 5 New Hampshire, which ended in an impressive 1-1 tie.

Along the way, Princeton ended its non-conference schedule with a satisfying 6-1-2 record and proved itself a much better unit than its current fifth-place standing in the ECACHL would otherwise suggest.

The Tigers are now riding a seven-game unbeaten streak, during which they went 5-0-2.

But perhaps the most telling of the team's Winter Break accomplishments was the variety of ways it steered clear of the loss column late in games.

This was even true in the Tigers' 6-2 win over Northeastern, which was not a blowout until the very end. The key to the win was the smooth passing of the torch from a defense that had been impenetrable to an offense that proved it could hang with its blue-line counterparts.

When the Huskies scored three minutes, 10 seconds into the third period to narrow their deficit to 2-1 and end junior goalie Roxanne Gaudiel's shutout streak at 277:39, the Princeton offense responded emphatically with three power play goals in as many minutes. Sophomore forward Liz Keady capped the burst with her third goal of the game, good for her first career hat trick.

Two of Keady's fellow sophomore forwards, Laura Watt — who added three assists — and Kim Pearce — who contributed a goal and two assists — helped Princeton reach its highest single-game goal total of the season. Watt's 12 assists on the season, as well as her 15 total points, lead the team.

The very next day, the Tigers clinched another win with an impressive third period. The 3-2 victory over Boston College was another game characterized by the ease with which Princeton heated up with the game on the line.

Down 2-0 heading into the third period, Princeton was ignited by an unlikely goal from junior defender Chrissie Norwich, who, up to that point, had not found the net this season.

Pearce, Princeton's leading goal scorer, would then lift the team onto her heavily padded shoulders. Her ninth goal of the season sent the game into overtime. Her 10th — the gamewinner — came with just 11 seconds remaining in overtime on assists from Keady and Watt.

Appropriately enough, the Tigers' Jan. 1 matchup with mighty New Hampshire provided the squad with the opportunity to turn over a new leaf. By fighting for a well-earned tie, Princeton ended a three-game losing streak against the Wildcats and saw its defense reassert itself.

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It was yet another third-period goal that made all the difference for the Tigers. This one came from junior forward Sarah Butsch off a centering pass from freshman forward Marykate Oakley with 6:17 remaining in regulation. The goal, just Butsch's second of the season, tied the score at 1-1 and ensured that Princeton would be skating overtime for the second straight game.

In five minutes of overtime, Gaudiel and the Tiger defense preserved the tie score. The Wildcats were held to just three shots during overtime, one of which was foiled by Gaudiel's 27th and final save of the game.

Although the women's hockey team will be back on campus wtih the rest of the student body in the coming days, the road trip continues with a visit to No. 8 St. Lawrence on Friday. The Tigers, no doubt, will feel right at home spending time away from Princeton.