Three shutouts in four games too strong for Yale, Colgate

Those on hand at Albany’s Times Union Center on Saturday afternoon for the No. 15 men’s hockey team’s 3-0 ECAC semifinal shutout of Colgate witnessed just that. Sophomore netminder Zane Kalemba stole the show, keeping the game scoreless long enough for the Tigers (21-13-0 overall, 14-8-0 ECAC Hockey) — outplayed for most of the first two periods — to find a way to win it in the third period.

Kalemba also starred a week earlier against Yale (16-14-4, 9-9-4), against whom he recorded two shutouts to close out the best-of-three series. Princeton won the opener against Yale, 3-0, and dropped the second game, 4-3, but dominated the rubber match, 4-0, to book its ticket to Albany.

Against Colgate (18-18-6, 8-9-5), Kalemba made 27 saves on 27 shots, but more impressive than the number of saves was the quality of each stop. Kalemba used all of his equipment — stick, glove, right pad, left pad, shoulders — to keep the puck out of the net, showcasing an uncanny flair for the dramatic and a quality that can only be defined as “clutch.”

Colgate started the game stronger, outshooting the Tigers 13-5 in the opening period, but a mixture of stellar play from Kalemba and poor finishing from the Raiders kept the game scoreless after the first frame.

“They had a number of chances early on,” Princeton head coach Guy Gadowsky said. “It could easily have been 4-0 in the first period, but Zane was phenomenal.”

The Tigers, who pride themselves on physical play — back checking, working the puck deep, getting bodies in front of the net and firing shots on goal — struggled to find their rhythm during the first two periods. Princeton had very little possession in the early stages of the game, and as a result, Colgate was able to dominate play.

With 12 minutes left in the first period, Colgate forward Brian Day was robbed on the doorstep by Kalemba. The save, impressive in its own right, turned out to be a mere appetizer to the feast of saves Kalemba had in store for the Raiders.

Four minutes later, Colgate’s star forward Tyler Burton found himself in front of a wide-open net with the puck on his stick. His backhand, however, wasn’t fast enough to beat Kalemba, who slid his arm across the net for the save.

The second period saw much of the same: the Tigers struggling to establish themselves and Kalemba standing on his head to keep the game close.

“[Kalemba] was spectacular. He played an unbelievable game,” Colgate head coach Don Vaughan said. “You have to tip your hat to him … We heard a lot about him coming into today, and now we can see why.”

The third period was probably the most trying of the Tigers’ season. Having treaded water for most of the first two periods, Princeton had to find a way to win or face the end of its season.

The Tigers chose the former, capitalizing on a defensive-zone turnover by Colgate eight minutes, four seconds into the third to net the game’s first goal. A Raider’s clearing attempt hit the skate of sophomore forward Mark Magnowski and bounced to freshman forward Matt Arhontas, who skated in untouched and scored.

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Five minutes later, the Tigers turned a potential disaster into a 2-0 lead. A scramble in front of the Princeton net gave Colgate forward Ethan Cox a seemingly open net to tie the game, but Kalemba slid across the ice to make a sprawling arm save before the puck could cross the goal line.

“I had no idea he could get there,” Cox said. “I got the puck, saw the open net and tried to get it in as quickly as possible. I thought that part of the goal was open, and it wasn’t.”

The Tigers picked up the rebound on Kalemba’s stellar save and immediately countered. Senior forward Landis Stankievech found senior forward Keith Shattenkirk, who fed a nice through pass to freshman forward Kevin Lohry, who outpaced the defense and beat Colgate goalie Mark Dekanich on the backhand side.

Lohry, the Tigers’ best skater in the early part of the game, sped in all alone and stuffed the puck inside the far post before Dekanich could cover.

The goal sent Colgate reeling for the first time all game, and Princeton, with newfound energy, seemed intent to keep the pressure on. With 1:15 left in the game, the Raiders pulled Dekanich, and after a few empty-net attempts sailed wide, Shattenkirk fed Lohry with another beautiful pass behind the defense for Lohry’s second goal of the game.

Kalemba’s shutout, his third of the playoffs, tied the ECAC record for career playoff shutouts and sets a record for most playoff shutouts in a season. Another highlight for the Tigers this afternoon — as it was all season — was their discipline. Princeton was whistled for only three penalties, from which the Raiders got just four minutes of power-play time.

Moments before Sunday night’s do-or-die game against Yale, Princeton huddled around the net on the south end of Baker Rink.

“[Senior forward] Kyle Hagel usually does those talks,” junior forward Brett Wilson said. “He got us all together and said ‘for the seniors on this team, this is our last home game in a Princeton uniform. Let’s leave with a win.’ ”

Five minutes later, the Tigers had opened up a 1-0 lead, well on their way to a 4-0 shutout that showcased Princeton hockey at its finest and ensured that though they may not have any more games at Baker Rink, the team’s five seniors would have more games in a Princeton jersey.

The win in the final contest of a best-of-three series with Yale set up the Tigers’ semifinal date with Colgate.

“This was probably the best overall performance we have played this season,” said Wilson of the 4-0 victory, which featured two even-strength goals, a power-play goal, a shorthanded goal and a defensive shutout. “Before the game we spoke about staying focused for the full 60 minutes, regardless of the score, and we certainly accomplished that.”