To seal off 2025, Princeton men’s hockey (7–4 overall, 4–2 ECAC Hockey) defeated Brown (3–10, 2–6 ECAC) 5–4. The win breaks a winless streak against the Bears that has lasted since their three losses against Brown last season and their 2–1 loss last month at Meehan Auditorium.
Back for their first game after a school-wide winter break, the Tigers felt an overflowing amount of support from the large crowd at Baker Rink.
“It was an unbelievable crowd here tonight,” Head Coach Ben Syer told The Daily Princetonian after the game. “Our guys and our staff really appreciate the enthusiasm and the excitement from the crowd.”
The game was competitive from the start, with both teams seizing chances to create early scoring opportunities and take advantage of power plays.
Five minutes into the first period, the Tigers sent numbers up and pressured from the attack. After a faceoff, the puck slid wide to senior defenseman Jayden Sison, who sent a strong pass toward the net. Senior forward David Jacobs received the rebound and shot at the goal, but could not convert.
The Bears stayed strong and monopolized their chances. With about eight minutes left in the period, two Brown forwards had a give-and-go passing sequence that led to a shot just wide of the post.
Two minutes later, the puck slid out from a battle behind the net to an open Brown defender. The defender sent a long pass wide to his teammate, who launched the puck and scored, putting the Bears in the lead 1–0.
The Tigers continued to force turnovers as they tried to tie up the game.
With just over four minutes left in the period, junior forward Kai Daniells found sophomore forward Jake Manfre on a run in the center of the ice. Manfre took a shot but hit the back wall. Jacobs won the puck and took it back toward the halfway line, before sending it up to Manfre again. Then, from a seemingly impossible angle, Manfre elevated the puck under the top shelf, scoring a goal and tying the game 1–1.
Brown responded quickly. With under a minute to go in the first period, the Bears drove the puck up in front of Princeton’s goal and scored off a rebound, retaking the lead.
Despite the late goal, Princeton was not deterred. Both teams came into the second period hungry for goals, leading to a high-scoring period from which Princeton ultimately emerged in the lead.
On an early Princeton power play in the third minute, the Tigers launched a quick attack on the Bears. Senior forward Brendan Gorman rushed up the middle of the rink with senior forward Jaxson Ezman, overloading the defense. Gorman shot the puck into the goal and scored, putting the Tigers back in the game at 2–2.
“I really look at Brendan Gorman and David Jacobs as leaders here today, as seniors and captains on our team,” Syer told the ‘Prince’ after the game. “They set the tone early.”
After a power play with about five minutes left in the period, a Brown forward found a shot from a sharp angle just above the goal line. The puck hit the back of junior goaltender Conor Callaghan and went into the goal, setting the Bears ahead 3–2.
Shortly after, the Tigers moved back up to the attack. Senior defender Tyler Rubin passed the puck wide to Manfre, who launched the puck to Daniells in the center. Daniells redirected the puck into the goal with his leg, tying the game up for the third time at 3–3.
Scoring another back post goal, Daniells then set the Tigers in the lead for the first time at 4–3 with just over three minutes left.
The Tigers began the third period working to secure their win, while the Bears fought aggressively to make a comeback.
Eight minutes in, during a Tiger power play, Brown’s offense had a massive breakaway into a one-on-one with the goaltender. However, Callaghan caught the puck with his leg, preventing the Bears from tying up the game.
With both teams winning competitive faceoffs, accuracy and finishing goals into the net seemed to be what made all the difference.
As the end of the match neared, the Bears put heavy pressure on the Tigers’ defense. Two minutes later, a Brown forward was able to pick up the puck and score, putting the Bears back into the game at 4–4.
A penalty was called on Brown for spearing with under a minute left, giving Princeton a power play entering overtime.
With five seconds left on the power play, sophomore defender Kai Greaves rocketed a shot that went off of Ezman’s shin into the goal, winning the game for the Tigers 5–4.
“It is staying even more than anything,” Ezman told the ‘Prince’ after the game. “Dealing with all the ups and downs, we try to stay even keeled throughout it all.”
The Tigers looked to continue their 6–0 home winning streak at Baker Rink this past weekend in face-offs against against Dartmouth (12–4, 6–2 ECAC) and Harvard (7–5–1, 5–3 ECAC).
“Dartmouth and Harvard this weekend are two really big games,” coach Syer told the ‘Prince’ after the game. “We have to play consistent and play to our identity.”
“That is going to be the message all week,” he added.
Isa Mena is a Sports contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
A previous version of this article stated that the games against Dartmouth and Harvard had not yet happened. The 'Prince' regrets this error.
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