Tigers push unbeaten streak to six

While most other Princeton winter sports continue to play well into the holiday break period, the women's hockey team knew that any momentum it might carry over into the new year would have to be acquired this past weekend in its final action of 2005.

The No. 7 Tigers (9-3-3 overall, 5-1-1 Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey League) captured that energy by stretching its unbeaten streak to six games, courtesy of a 5-2 win Friday evening and a 2-2 tie Saturday afternoon against Wayne State (6-9-4) at Baker Rink.

"We're satisfied with the first half of the season," senior goaltender Roxanne Gaudiel said. "We still have a long road ahead of us and a lot more to work on, but overall, we've done okay."

Princeton continued to display its all-around high level of play Friday night as the offense put five pucks in the net while the defense allowed only 20 shots on goal.

Freshman forward Annie Greenwood continued her hot streak as she netted her team-leading 11th goal of the season only two minutes, 23 seconds into play. Greenwood received a nice, crisp pass from junior forward Kim Pearce behind the goal line, then skated out in front of the net. Once she had the angle she wanted, Greenwood whipped the puck past the Warriors' goalie for a 1-0 lead.

Wayne State answered briefly with a power-play goal 8:48 into the first frame, but late in the period the Tigers struck again when Pearce scooped up her own rebound and sent it flying past the Warrior goaltender. Senior forward Sarah Butsch followed up Pearce's goal with one of her own, a rocket shot from the top of the circle. It was ultimately the game-winner for the Tigers, and it was clockwork from there on out.

Princeton essentially put the game on ice in the second period with two more goals, one from senior forward Tarah Clark at 4:05 and one from sophomore forward Marykate Oakley at 9:02.

Gaudiel stopped nine out of the 10 shots she faced in her two periods of play, and freshman goaltender Kristen Young had the chance to gain some experience in net in the third period. Young also stopped nine out of the 10 shots the Wayne State players sent her way.

Power-play woes

The Tigers returned to the ice Saturday afternoon for the second contest against the visiting Warriors. With the offense misfiring, Princeton relied on its stout defense to keep things close. Still, the Tigers trailed 1-0 in the beginning of the third period.

Senior forward Heather Jackson provided a quick remedy to Princeton's offensive woes 4:01 into the period. The Tigers were on the power play when Jackson took a clean pass from freshman defender Katherine Dineen and immediately directed the puck on goal. Jackson's slap shot knotted the game at one.

Pearce continued Princeton's momentum, scoring less than five minutes later, at 8:50, for a 2-1 lead. The Tigers' lead was to be short-lived, as Wayne State converted yet again on the power play with 7:39 left in the game. The score remained knotted at two when the final whistle blew.

All four of the Warriors' goals this weekend were scored on the power play. Coming into this weekend, Princeton had greatly improved its penalty kill units, limiting its opponents to only a 17 percent conversion rate. All that progress, however, seemed to dissipate against Wayne State.

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Still, the Tigers were able to counter offensively, especially with their success on the power play.

Greenwood and Pearce, two of the main cogs that keep the Princeton offense operating at high speed, received their dues from around the nation this week. Greenwood was named the United States College Hockey Online Offensive Player of the Week after scoring five goals last weekend and notching at least one goal in her past five contests. Greenwood leads the Tigers this season with 11 goals.

Pearce was named the ECACHL Player of the Week after tallying six assists and a goal in last weekend's games.

For Gaudiel, Pearce, Greenwood and the rest of the Princeton squad, it is a dangerous time. The team has performed admirably against a tough range of opponents, but with the holidays approaching, the Tigers must not lose the mental edge that has kept them in games all season.

"Playing the ranked teams at the beginning of the season was a good way to get the ball rolling," Gaudiel said. "It really forced us to pull together quickly as a team. But now with more league games coming, we really have to focus on the games in front of us and not rest on our laurels."