Men's Hockey: Cornell and Colgate provide next test

The men’s hockey team has an opportunity to make a statement to the rest of the country this weekend.

After a slow start to the season, No. 19 Princeton (3-2-1 overall, 2-1-1 ECAC Hockey) heads north for weekend games against No. 5 Cornell (4-1-0, 3-1-0) and Colgate (5-2-4, 3-0-1). The two-game series marks the start of a lengthy road trip, as the Tigers will not play at Baker Rink until Jan. 4.

“I think the weekend as a whole is a huge weekend for us, particularly because we haven’t had the start that we would have liked,” senior forward and co-captain Cam MacIntyre said. “We have a big opportunity this weekend playing two big-time opponents. It’s definitely an opportunity to make a statement that we’re coming right along.”

On Friday night, Princeton travels to Ithaca, N.Y., for a game against Cornell at James Lynah Rink, one of the loudest and most exciting venues in college hockey.

The last time Princeton played at Lynah, the team scored two late goals to take home a shocking 2-1 victory.

The Big Red exacted revenge in the ECAC tournament semifinal, when it came back from a two-goal deficit in the third period and later earned a 4-3 win in overtime.

“Cornell is a great team. It’s one of the best places to play in college hockey,” MacIntyre said. “It’s a great atmosphere any time you go there. We’re certainly excited to go there.”

Forward Riley Nash — a preseason All-ECAC nominee and one of the most dynamic playmakers in the conference — is Cornell’s general on the offensive end.

Last year, Nash led the Big Red with 35 points, and while he has yet to score a goal this year, he is second on the team with six assists. Joining Nash up front is physical forward Colin Greening, who currently leads Cornell with eight assists and 11 points.

The Tigers will turn to their experienced defense — led by senior co-captain Jody Pederson — to keep the Big Red’s attack under wraps.

“Riley is a big-time offensive force, and Colin is a great power forward, but we don’t want to focus on individual players and what other guys are doing,” MacIntyre said. “We want to focus on what we’re doing, and that’s the key to our success.”

Cornell also has one of the best goalies in the nation in Ben Scrivens, who this year has a 1.76 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage.

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Scrivens and senior goalie Zane Kalemba have had their share of low-scoring goalie wars in the past, and this game should be no different.

On the offensive end, Princeton will look to the line of senior Mark Magnowski, junior Mike Kramer and junior Matt Arhontas to continue its torrid start to the season. Kramer leads the team with three goals and six points, while Arhontas, Magnowski and senior forward Dan Bartlett are tied for second on the team with four points each.

The team also hopes for a spark from the line featuring MacIntyre, Bartlett (the leading scorer on last season’s team) and junior forward Sam Sabky.

“With the ECAC as a whole, it’s always so tight, and the games are always decided by one goal,” MacIntyre said. “With Zane and Scrivens, it’s two big-time goalies. It’s going to be a tight game that comes down to a few plays. I think it’s going to make for a pretty exciting night.”

The following day, Princeton travels to Hamilton, N.Y., for a night game against Colgate. The Raiders are always a dangerous team and will present Princeton’s veteran defense with challenges.

Colgate has a number of dangerous players, including forwards Austin Smith, David McIntyre and Brian Day. Smith leads the team with 15 points, while McIntyre and Day have 13 and 11, respectively.

“Colgate’s got some really good offensive players. David McIntyre and Brian Day are two of the pretty exceptional scorers in our league,” MacIntyre said. “They are a pretty skilled and a quality team. We’ve got two big opponents this weekend.”

For Princeton to be successful this weekend, it will have to play its most disciplined hockey of this young season. Last year, the Tigers were the least penalized team in the nation, surrendering a mere 10.6 penalty minutes a game.

This season, Princeton has been plagued by a number of needless penalties that have forced the team to play shorthanded at inopportune moments.

“The first thing is we’ve got to be more disciplined. It’s something we’ve struggled with at the start of the season,” MacIntyre said. “We also need to do a better job of getting to the net. It’s just getting back to playing our game. We’re a disciplined team and a team that goes to the net hard.”

The two-game set also marks another weekend for Princeton’s burgeoning goalie competition. Despite being named ECAC Hockey Player of the Year and a Hobey Baker Award finalist last season, Kalemba has begun to feel pressure from junior goaltender Alan Reynolds, who has earned wins in both of his starts this season, allowing just one goal in each.

It remains to be seen whether head coach Guy Gadowsky plans to rely on one goalie for the rest of the season or if he will continue with the tandem.

Despite the uncertainty in net, if the Tigers can increase the consistency of their play and get two wins on the road, they will make an early jump toward the top of the conference standings, a place they hope to remain for the rest of the year.