Men's Hockey: Hot streak to be challenged

A three-game winning streak, the ECAC Hockey Goalie of the Week and the league’s leading goal-scorer. Sounds like the men's hockey team is back on track.

Princeton (9-10-2 overall, 5-8-1 ECAC Hockey) is looking to stay on that track this weekend when it returns to Baker Rink to square off against Colgate (10-10-5, 7-5-1) and the league’s top team, No. 5 Cornell (12-5-3, 9-2-2).

Though Saturday’s matchup against the Big Red is the main event for the Tigers this weekend, Princeton must first turn its attention to the Raiders on Friday night.

“I know it sounds cliche, but we really do take it one game at a time,” tri-captain and senior defenseman Jody Pederson said. “At this point, each game is just so important.”

In the two teams’ first matchup earlier this season, the Tigers fell to Colgate in a 5-4 overtime nail-biter despite outshooting the Raiders 47-27. Junior goalie Alan Reynolds made 22 saves, and senior forward Dan Bartlett scored a pair of goals in the loss for Princeton

“We allowed a lot of odd-man rushes and didn’t make smart decisions with the puck,” senior goalie Zane Kalemba said.

This time around, Princeton will be on its home ice coming off three straight wins instead of being mired in a seven-game winless streak. There will also likely be a different goaltender in net for the Tigers as Kalemba, the reigning ECAC Hockey Goalie of the Week, will look to extend his recent hot streak.

“It was nice to have that break and get refreshed,” Kalemba said. “Plus it’s usually easier to stay focused on the road — fewer distractions.”

In spite of his recent success, Kalemba will have his hands full with Colgateís high-octane offense. Forwards Austin Smith, David McIntyre and Brian Day have tallied 31, 27 and 26 points, respectively.

Charles Long and Alex Evin have split time in the net this season for the Raiders, with Evin getting the nod in Colgate’s last matchup with Princeton.

Less than 24 hours later, Princeton will square off against perennial rival Cornell. After falling to the Big Red in the semifinals of the ECAC Hockey playoffs last March, the Tigers have split their contests with the league’s first-place team this season.

In the first matchup, on Nov. 20, Cornell jumped out to a 4-0 lead against Kalemba and the Tigers after two periods. Though two third-period goals from senior forward Cam MacIntyre brought Princeton back to within striking distance, Big Red forward Riley Nash slammed the door shut with a late goal as Cornell cruised to a 5-2 victory.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Princeton got a measure of revenge just over a month later when the teams met in the Sunshine State for the Florida College Classic. With Reynolds in net, the Tigers earned a 3-2 come-from-behind victory, thanks in large part to junior forward Mike Kramerís shorthanded goal in the third period. Princeton outshot Cornell 39-29.

“We got off to a much better start, stayed out of the box and buried our chances,” Kalemba said. “We just need to go out and play a solid 60 minutes.”

Despite the Tigers’ recent win against the Big Red, Cornell remains a formidable opponent. Nash, Blake Gallagher and Collin Greening are three of the league’s top forwards, while Ben Scrivens has re-established himself as one of the top netminders in ECAC Hockey. To date, Scrivens has played every minute of Cornell’s 20 games, earning a 1.94 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage, both top-five in the nation.

Much of Scrivens’ success is thanks to Cornell’s solid defensive unit, which usually limits opponents’ chances.

“They always have a good team defense and don’t allow a lot of odd-man rushes,” Kalemba said. “So it’s important that we capitalize on our opportunities.”

If the Tigers are to be successful this weekend, they’ll need to find a way to maintain their offensive momentum and continue to receive solid play in the net. Princeton’s power-play unit, which has struggled for much of the season, will also play a crucial role in the team’s success against two solid defensive units.

Kalemba pointed out how integral the play of the Tigers’ underclassmen has been in the team’s recent resurgence.

“A lot of younger guys are getting into the groove and learning what it takes to win,” he said.

Those underclassmen will continue to play a substantial role as Princeton struggles with injuries. At this point, however, Kalemba said that the team has come to terms with its misfortune.

“We just have to accept the injuries, and we can’t use them as a crutch anymore,” he said. “But we’re still confident we can get back to where we need to be. This weekend is a big part of that.”