Men's Hockey: Comebacks, home ice fuel Tigers’ late surge

Home games, particularly those in the latter half of the season, have helped the Tigers regain their confidence. After being swept by Cornell and Colgate on the road in November, Princeton handed then-No. 12 Colgate a 6-2 defeat on Jan. 13 at Baker Rink, its first victory over a ranked opponent this season. After ending the first period tied 1-1, the Tigers stole their win with four goals in the second frame, Princeton’s highest single-period total in more than a year.

“The game that sticks out the most is our 6-2 win against Colgate. They are one of the top teams, and it gave us the confidence to know that if we play our systems properly, we can compete with any team,” sophomore forward Andrew Calof said.

The following day, Princeton put on another strong performance at Baker Rink, overcoming a three-goal deficit in the third frame to earn a 3-3 tie against then-No. 9 Cornell. Sophomore forward Eric Carlson began Princeton’s rally early in the final frame, slipping a one-timer past the Cornell keeper, and Calof brought the Tigers within one score. Sophomore defenseman Kevin Ross netted the final game-tying goal on a power play in the last minutes of the game, and the 3-3 score held through overtime.

That performance was almost identical to another game against a team then ranked ninth in the nation, when Union visited Baker Rink in early December. After being held scoreless for the first two periods, the Tigers were chasing another 3-0 deficit until sophomore forward Andrew Ammon lit the lamp in the third minute. Sophomore forward Jack Berger decreased the deficit to 3-2, then scored the equalizer with less than two minutes remaining. A 14-2 shot advantage in the third period was key to the surprising comeback against the Dutchmen, who currently lead the conference and are ranked 11th nationally.

“Ideally, we wouldn’t like to be coming back in the third period. It’s on us, and me as team captain, to come out of the gates ready to play in the first period,” senior forward and captain Marc Hagel said. “Sure, [the comebacks] keep the crowds entertained and keep them coming back for more. The best part is that we know it’s there, we have the offensive ability. Getting the first goal it makes it a completely different game, though.”

With a new team and a new coach, the Tigers opened the season 2-7-1, mostly on the road. Perhaps the fact that eight seniors had graduated in the 2010-11 season — one of whom, Taylor Fedun ’11, was playing professionally until he suffered a femur injury — contributed to their sluggish start.

But the Tigers seem to have lost this newness for the better. The surging Tigers have earned six points from their last four games, including another comeback at Baker Rink in their final nonconference game against Connecticut last week. Princeton reversed a 3-2 deficit in the last period for a 4-3 victory, as Calof scored the tying and winning goals in a three-minute span.

“At the beginning of the year, we just had to get used to our systems. Since the Christmas break, everyone has figured it out, and it has showed up in our play,” Calof said. “We are becoming a much harder team to play against.”

The Tigers will not have the home atmosphere of Baker Rink for the next two weeks, however, as they play four straight road contests that will be critical in separating teams within a crowded ECAC Hockey conference.

“Everyone in the college landscape is a formidable opponent, but consistency is definitely key,” head coach Bob Prier said. “We have had to play catch-up many times this year, and the guys have risen to the challenge.”

Princeton’s road trip begins in Potsdam, N.Y., where the Tigers will play Clarkson on Friday.