Two months ago, the first USCHO/CBS College Sports poll of the season listed Princeton and University of Massachusetts Lowell right next to each other, at No. 10 and No. 11, respectively.
Followers of college hockey immediately circled Dec. 11 and Dec. 12 on their calendars, hoping to watch two top teams from ECAC Hockey and Hockey East square off in an attempt to score resume-building non-conference wins.
Once the season began, the River Hawks stayed on track for the seemingly inevitable collision with Princeton. Spotty play and a series of injuries, however, have derailed the Tigers’ train, drastically changing the meaning of this weekend’s games for both teams.
The Tigers (3-7-1 overall, 2-6-1 ECAC Hockey) come into Lowell, Mass., on a six-game winless streak that has booted them from the national rankings and dropped them to ninth in the conference standings. Instead of playing to establish itself as a national title frontrunner, Princeton will be seeking to turn its season around.
More importantly, the Tigers will be attempting to ensure that, when conference play resumes on Jan. 4, they are in fact one of college hockey’s finest teams. Injuries have wreaked havoc on Princeton’s ability to develop a rhythm this season, as lines and pairings change rapidly to accommodate a roster that constantly seems in flux.
For the upcoming games, Princeton will be without the service of senior forward Cam MacIntyre, who has been battling leg and back injuries since last season. Junior defensemen Cam Ritchie and Matt Godlewski are also expected to be sidelined at least until conference play resumes.
One potentially positive side effect has been significant playing time for young players who might otherwise still be waiting on the bench for their shot.
Head coach Guy Gadowsky said he remained optimistic that this will make the team even stronger when his injured veterans return.
“[Injuries have] forced us to try different combinations on offense and defense,” Gadowsky said. “We’re trying to get everyone involved so that we are the strongest possible team in January.”
While injuries have certainly affected Gadowsky’s line sheet, the most intriguing lineup change for this weekend is the decision to give freshman goalie Mike Condon his first career start. Condon has made only one appearance this season, but played well, stopping 12 of 13 shots in just over 33 minutes of play. Neither senior goalie Zane Kalemba nor junior goalie Alan Reynolds has shined thus far, so starting Condon may be more than an attempt to rest starters.
The story of UMass Lowell this season has been quite the opposite of Princeton’s. The No. 9 River Hawks (9-5-1)flew off to an incredible start, soaring as high as No. 3 in the national polls before a three-game losing streak dropped them back to No. 9. While wins this weekend against Princeton would not be the NCAA tournament resume builder that many had predicted, the games have inmany ways become must-wins for the River Hawks as they seek to remain in the national title hunt.
Like Princeton, UMass Lowell has had two goalies sharing playing time throughout the season.
But both Nevin Hamilton and Carter Hutton have been excellent in net, making it nearly impossible to bench either of them. Overall, UMass Lowell has been phenomenal defensively, as it leads Hockey East with a 2.47 goals-against average.
Offensively, seven River Hawks have accumulated double-digit point totals, including five seniors. Leading the veteran attack is defenseman Nick Schaus, with four goals and 12 assists in 13 games played. Second on the team is forward David Vallorani, whose hat trick last Saturday against UMass earned him Hockey East Player of the Week honors.
Princeton realizes that it will take significant contributions from every line and defensive pairing to come away with a win or two this weekend.
While the Tigers are in some ways saving themselves for January, do not expect them to overlook the importance of playing two hard games against a top quality team.
Gadowsky, for one, has high hopes for his team when the starters return from their injuries.
“We’re optimistic that when we get healthy, we will be a strong team,” Gadowsky said. “If we can have success against a high-ranked opponent like UMass Lowell, that will certainly build a lot of confidence.”
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