Icemen post split over break

Searching for its fifth straight win for the first time since the 1947-48 season, the men's hockey team (7-8-2 overall, 4-6-1 ECAC Hockey) finished the break on a sour note by dropping its Saturday night game to Quinnipiac (9-5-4, 6-2-3). The loss put an end to Princeton's first four-game winning streak since 1998-99. This leaves the Tigers in seventh place in the ECAC standings while the Bobcats remain in first.

The game remained scoreless for the first 45 minutes as both goaltenders, freshman Zane Kalemba and Quinnipiac's Bud Fisher, turned aside every shot they faced. But the 0-0 knot was untied at the four minutes, 41 second mark of the third period when forward Jamie Bates found the puck at the right hash mark and slipped a quick shot past Kalemba to give Quinnipiac the only goal it would need.

Preserving its dangerously small one-goal lead, Quinnipiac held its breath and lapsed into defensive mode for the rest of the game, surrendering only seven more shots to the desperate Princeton attackers. With a minute left in the game, head coach Guy Gadowsky made the decision to pull the goalie for an extra attacker, but Bates responded to the common tactical move by popping a shot into the empty net to seal the victory for the Bobcats.

The 2-0 loss marks the first time the Tigers have been shut out this season. Only Dartmouth and Quinnipiac have scored more goals than Princeton's 34 in the ECAC. Only one team, Harvard, has given up more goals than the Tigers. Until the loss, Princeton was one of only four teams in the nation to have scored at least two goals in every game while at the same time being the only team in the nation to have allowed at least two goals in every game.

The Quinnipiac match was Princeton's fourth over the winter holidays. The previous week, the Tigers defeated Nebraska-Omaha (8-9-6), 3-2, on Dec. 29 and Minnesota State (6-14-3), 4-3, on Dec. 30 at home, and last Friday night they fell to the U.S. National Under-18 team, 4-2, in an exhibition matchup.

Princeton entered its weekend series against Nebraska-Omaha and Minnesota State, coincidentally both nicknamed the Mavericks, having enjoyed a 4-1-1 run over its last six games and looking to build on its mid-season momentum.

Hosting Nebraska-Omaha at Baker Rink for the first time, the Tigers were faced with the challenge of halting the Mavericks' five-game winning streak and quickly showed themselves up to the task. Not even halfway through the first period, junior forward Landis Stankievech deflected a point shot into the net to give the Orange and Black its first lead of the night.

Nebraska-Omaha tied it up in the second with a power-play goal, but Princeton responded shortly after when freshman forward Kevin Kaiser faked a pass on a two-on-one break and buried his first career collegiate goal to regain the lead for the Tigers.

The Mavericks managed to strike once more in the third, but Kalemba's 10 third-period saves ensured that the Nebraskan offense wasn't going to get any more than that. The game was sent to overtime, when sophomore forward Lee Jubinville delivered the game-winner with his sixth goal of the year just 43 seconds into the period off a pass from senior defenseman Max Cousins.

The next night, Princeton welcomed a second pack of Mavericks, all the way from Mankato, Minn. This marked the Tigers' first-ever game with Minnesota State, and Princeton has now played 51 of a possible 58 NCAA Division I opponents in its 104-year history of varsity hockey.

The first period ended in a 1-1 tie following a power-play goal from Minnesota State and the Tigers' equalizer from freshman forward Cam MacIntyre a few minutes later. Princeton then went up by two in the second with goals from freshman forward Dan Bartlett and sophomore forward Brett Wilson, who scored on a five-on-three advantage.

The Mavericks came storming back in the third with two goals midway through the frame to bring the score even again, but this time the Tigers wouldn't need overtime to claim their victory. With under one minute to play in regulation, Wilson, who finished with four points, stole the puck and fed MacIntyre at the far post for his second goal of the night. Senior goaltender B.J. Sklapsky, making his third start, sealed the 4-3 victory with the last of his 33 saves in the closing seconds on a final desperation shot.

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The next Friday, the U.S. National Under-18 team, which competes against various college, minor pro and amateur teams across the country, as well as participating in three international tournaments every year, rolled into town to face Princeton in an exhibition game for the third time in the program's 10-year history. The Tigers had won the previous two matchups, but this time, the youngsters came away with bragging rights.

Forward Ryan Hayes got the U.S. team off to a good start with a goal past sophomore goaltender Thomas Sychterz, capping an outstanding individual effort on an end-to-end rush, but Princeton quickly responded when freshman forward Jody Pederson slammed home a pass from MacIntyre to draw the teams even.

The U-18 team jumped ahead for good in the second with two goals, one on a rebound in front of the cage and the other on a bomb from the point. The Tigers got back within one late in the third period when Bartlett deflected a point shot on the power play up and over goaltender Josh Unice to make it 3-2, but an empty netter with 20 seconds to go put an end to Princeton's hopes for a comeback.

At this point in the season, the Tigers have 12 games remaining. Every game from here on out will be a crucial one as Princeton fights to move up in the ECAC standings, especially since there is such enormous parity throughout the standings — a measly five points separate second place and 10th.