Men's Hockey: Top squads Union, RPI block path to top-4 seed

The Tigers are guaranteed at least a sixth-place finish in the conference, which would see them hosting a first-round playoff series against the 11th seed. While the team can only rise as high as the third seed, it does somewhat control its own destiny. With two victories, Princeton would pass Rensselaer and, at the very worst, end the regular season in the fifth seed.

“I wouldn’t say that it takes pressure off of us,” senior defender Matt Godlewski said of being locked in the top six. “But it’s always nice to know that we will have home-ice advantage for at least the first round of the playoffs.”

If Princeton does manage to finish in the top four, it would be rewarded with a first-round playoff bye as well as home ice in the quarterfinals. Godlewski described the advantage as “enormous.” Senior forward Kevin Lohry noted that the extra week off would also allow the team to get ahead in their studies and rest up.

Also at stake are another two chances for the Class of 2011 to surpass last year’s as the most winningest group in program history. The seniors are currently tied with the Class of 2010 with 70 victories and will have at least another four games to cement their place in the Princeton record book.

“We are extraordinarily fortunate to have the opportunity to achieve something so great,” Godlewski said, acknowledging the effect that the previous few classes had on him and his fellow classmates.

Standing in their way are two of the better teams in the nation. Union is currently atop the ECAC Hockey conference standings and No. 5 in the national rankings. The Dutchmen also come in hot as winners of their past nine games. Fortunately for the Tigers, Rensselaer has cooled off as of late and has dropped three of its last four games. The Engineers are at No. 14 in the national polls and right ahead of the Tigers at fifth in the conference standings. In comparison, the Tigers are effectively No. 21 in the nation, as they received the most votes of any team outside the top 20.

On Friday, the Tigers will take on Rensselaer. The Engineers won the only other matchup this season 5-2 at Baker Rink. Special teams were the story of the game as Rensselaer recorded three power-play goals in addition to a successful penalty shot. Led by forward Chase Polacek, who leads the conference in nearly every offensive category, the Engineers have one of the best power-play units in the league. If the Tigers want a win, containing Polacek and eliminating any man-advantage opportunities are necessities.

“We need to play disciplined hockey,” Godlewski said. “You will not win hockey games against great teams if you are playing short-handed.”

On Saturday, Princeton will play Union in the final game of the regular season. The last time these two teams met, the Tigers were ahead 4-1 before the Dutchmen stormed back and scored six straight goals for a dramatic come-from-behind victory. More than a few times this season, the Tigers have shown their inability to close out tight games. As the playoffs approach and the competition gets tougher, the team says that it hopes that its regular-season follies will turn into post-season success.

“The experiences that we’ve had throughout the season will give us a sense of confidence and a familiar feeling so that we are able to stay focused and close out on crucial wins,” Godlewski said.

With so many possible tournament scenarios in the air, one would expect the Tigers to keep an eye on the out-of-town scoreboard over the weekend. However, both Lohry and Godlewski stated they were concentrating on the games they could control.

“We know any team we play in this league will be a challenge,” Lohry said. “We just need to prepare how Princeton hockey plays.”

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The Tigers will begin their quest for a playoff bye at Rensselaer on Friday before wrapping up the regular season against Union on Saturday. Both games are at 7 p.m.

“We had a goal at the beginning of the season to finish in the top four teams in the league,” Godlewski said. “That is what we plan on achieving this weekend.”