Princeton - 4
UMD - 4
Bulldogs score two in final 40 seconds, including one with 0.8 seconds remaining to tie game.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Third Period Recap... Headed to Overtime
Second Period Recap
Princeton - 3
UMD - 2
Princeton played terrific hockey throughout most of the second period, adding goals from freshman defenseman Derrick Pallis and Wilson — on his second of the night — to take 3-1 lead. UMD answered back less than half a minute after Wilson's goal to close the gap to 3-2.
The Tigers came out strong in the second period and kept the pressure on Stalock and the Bulldog defense for almost all 20 minutes. Even after taking the lead, Princeton did not let up, even mounting a furious attack in the period's final minutes that almost resulted in a goal.
The game has been a remarkably clean one thus far, with just one penalty — a holding call on sophomore defenseman Taylor Fedun — in the second period and three for the game. Look for the physiciality and chippiness to pick up a bit as UMD looks to close the gap in the third period. If Princeton can avoid letting down like it did against Cornell a week agao tonight, the Tigers will be in good position to move on and face Miami (OH) tomorrow night.
First Period Recap
Princeton - 1
UMD - 1
UMD picked up the first goal of the game off a rebound following a wraparound attempt at 8:17. Kalemba was unable to control Travis Oleksuk's shot and Andrew Carroll banged it home to give the Bulldogs the early lead.
Princeton answered back with its first goal also coming off a rebound during a power play at 14:56. Sophomore defenseman Matt Godlewski's shot bounced off Stalock and trickled into the crease, where Wilson slid it into the UMD net to tie the game.
Though UMD is currently outshooting the Tigers 13-9, the teams appear evenly matched in the early going, and the intesnity picked up as the period progressed. Both squads — Princeton in particular — need to create more opportunities from the time they spend in the offensive zone if they want to take control of the game.
Keys to the Game for Princeton
1. Start fast. The Tigers are 17-3-1 this season when they score first. Often when Princeton falls behind early, the team struggles to get back into games. This will be especially crucial for tonight’s contest, as the Tigers are matched up against the nation’s hottest goaltender, Alex Stalock. If Princeton is able to get on the board early and keep the pressure up, however, the Tigers will have a good shot at pulling this one out.
2. Spread out the offensive production. Last weekend, the line of junior forwards Dan Bartlett and Cam MacIntyre and sophomore forward Sam Sabky provided all of Princeton’s scoring as Bartlett led the way with three goals. MacIntyre and Sabky each added on apiece. If Princeton is going to be successful tonight, the team will need contributions from all of its lines. If senior forwards Brett Wilson and Lee Jubinville are able to get going, the Tigers should be in good shape, at least on the offensive end.
3. Keep up the defensive intensity. While the Tigers have had a very strong defensive effort all season long, led by goalie Zane Kalemba, they failed to hold onto their a two-goal lead for the first time all season against Cornell a week ago tonight. If the offense is able to crack Stalock early, the defense needs to be able make that lead stand up.
Princeton v. University of Minnesota Duluth
Puck about to drop between the Tigers (22-11-1 overall, 14-8-0 ECAC Hockey) and the Bulldogs (21-12-8 overall, 10-11-7 WCHA)...
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Game ends in Tie 2-2.
Five minutes of scoreless overtime later, the game ends in a tie. That means that Princeton is headed to the NCAA Tournament, since they are mathematically ensured of a bid due to the way the pairwise rankings will shape up at the end of the day. You cannot say enough about the way the Tigers battled on less than 24 hours of rest against a very game St. Lawrence team. Princeton had the puck pinned in the St. Lawrence zone for the second half of the extra period, making it difficult for the Saints to pull their goalie. Hats off to Gadowsky on earning his second consecutive NCAA bid.
The teams will have a shoot out now which DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING IN THE ACTUAL STANDINGS. PRINCETON HAS ALREADY WRAPPED UP THE TIE. THIS IS JUST FOR THE FANS IN ATTENDANCE.
St. Lawrence pulled its goalie with thirty second left
Saints put goalie back in with 13 seconds because of icing.
OT, 1:54.
The extra period is more than half over. No great chances to speak of so far. Icing on St. Lawrence.
OT, 3 minutes left.
St. Lawrence cross goes in front of the net but is untouched. Miskovic can't get all of a slap shot. Lines change. Bartlett shoots wide left.
Overtime Again
Here we go. Five more minutes. If the game is tied, Princeton has a great chance of making the NCAA Tournament but they want the win.
Interesting...
Interesting situation developing here. Because of their PairWise ranking, Princeton can grab an NCAA bid (theoretically) with a tie, but St. Lawrence cannot. We are heading to a five minute overtime, but as it nears a close, the Saints may pull their goalie in order to prolong their season. If they do, Princeton could be gifted an empty-net goal that clear the uncertainty and guarantees an NCAA berth. Tough decision for St. Lawrence head coach Joe Marsh.
There will be a shootout following the overtime, but that is just for fun. On the schedule this will go down as a tie if the overtime ends scoreless.
Third Period Over, Game Tied 2-2, Overtime Again.
The game is tied 2-2 after three periods. After not going to overtime for over two seasons, Princeton is going to an extra period for the second game in a row. The teams are on a two minute break right now.
Third Period, One minute remaining.
Shot from St. Lawrence is blocked by Princeton and covered up by Kalemba. Good hit from Jubinville. Shot from St. Lawrence hits the side of the net. Wilson's pass goes untouched. One minute Remaining.
Third Period, 3:39.
Sabky misses a cross from MacIntyre. Then Magnowski's slap shot is saved by Petizian. Shot from Lohry is blocked by Petizian. He had a great opportunity. Shot by Pallis deflected over the glass. Great stretch from Princeton.
Third Period, 5:30.
The puck is deflected just above Kalemba's net. Strong start to the power play for St. Lawrence. Good defensive play by St. Lawrence on a Kramer short-handed rush. Point blank shot from Saints misses the net. Penalty killed. Then a good chance from Godlewski but he's stopped by Petizian.
Third Period, 7:43.
Shot from Pederson deflected and just misses the net. Penalty on Fedun for obstruction.
Third Period, 8:25.
Godlewski and Wilson both had great opportunities on the power play that went high of the net. St. Lawrence killed the penalty but Princeton looked much better than previous power plays.
Interesting...
Interesting situation developing here. Because of their PairWise ranking, Princeton can grab an NCAA bid (theoretically) with a tie, but St. Lawrence cannot. We are heading to a five minute overtime, but as it nears a close, the Saints may pull their goalie in order to prolong their season. If they do, Princeton could be gifted an empty-net goal that clear the uncertainty and guarantees an NCAA berth. Tough decision for St. Lawrence head coach Joe Marsh.
Third Period, 10:46.
Shot from Miskovic is blocked by Kalemba and the penalty is killed. Tie up in the right corner of Princeton's defensive zone that ends in a penalty on Jared Keller. Princeton could use a good power play right now.
Third Period, 13:14.
Cheap penalty on Brett Wilson. Princeton needs to hang tough here to stop the Saints' momentum.
Goal
The Tigers were treading water. Kalemba made some incredible saves in the last few minutes, but the Saints were palying too well not to net one eventually. HUGE kill for the Tigers coming up...
St. Lawrence goal ties the game 2-2 at 14:12.
The Saints were playing too well to be kept out of the net for long. Goal by Derek Keller.
Third Period, 14:35.
Incredible arm save by Kalemba when he is sprawled in front of his goal. St. Lawrence is controlling the pace of play right now. An even better kick save by Kalemba on a St. Lawrence shot.
Third Period, 15:44.
Princeton 2-1.
Glove save by Kalemba off a Drewiskie shot. A cross from St. Lawrence off the face off just rolled across the ice right in front of Princeton's net but no one can put a stick on the puck. Kalemba blocks a shot from Vermeulen and then another St. Lawrence shot goes over the net. Scary sequence for the Tigers who ice the puck to stop time and change lines.
Third Period, 18:22.
Lohry tries to get a shot off on a wraparound but is stopped. Then the puck is sitting in front of the net but Princeton can't punch it in. One of the line judges just got nailed by a puck but appears to be alright.
Second Period Stats
Shots: St. Lawrence 11, Princeton 9
Goals:
Dan Bartlett, assisted by Mark Magnowski at 1:16.
Penalties:
Bollig and Drewiskie for St. Lawrence
Godlewski for Princeton
Second Intermission
It is worth noting that most college hockey analysts predict that Princeton can secure an NCAA bid even with a tie - yes, you can tie the consolation game. That means that the Tigers are twenty minutes away from prolonging their season, as long as they are not outscored by two goals this period.
The second intermission's entertainment? A sled race between a pair of Princeton students (both named Nick) against a pair of students from St. Lawrence (both named Zack - you can't make this stuff up folks). In a slugfest not unlike today's game, the Nicks went up early, the Zacks battled back, but in the end, the Nicks were simply too strong. Hopefully this race will prove a accurate omen as we head to the third.
Side Note: Has Matt Christopher ever written about intermission sled racing? If not, I suggest something like, "The Boy With the Grippy Feet."
Second Period Over, Princeton leads 2-1.
The second period ended in a flurry. After Gadowsky's timeout, the pace of play was much faster. Princeton has to be happy with the way the game has gone so far. The Tigers have generated chances from each line and have hit two pipes in addition to their two goals.
Second Period, 0:42.
Good defensive play be Princeton and then a save by Kalemba. Then Princeton has a chance but Petizian makes a glove save. The speed of play has picked up in the last 90 seconds.
Second Period, 2:13
Gadowsky calls a time out with 2:13 left in the second period. He is probably telling his team to stay focused until the intermission. Princeton doesn't want to give up its 2-1 edge before the end of the period.
Second Intermission
It is worth noting that most college hockey analysts predict that Princeton can secure an NCAA bid even with a tie - yes, you can tie the consolation game. That means that the Tigers are twenty minutes away from prolonging their season, as long as they are not outscored by two goals this period.
The second intermission's entertainment? A sled race between a pair of Princeton students (both named Nick) against a pair of students from St. Lawrence (both named Zack - you can't make this stuff up folks). In a slugfest not unlike today's game, the Nicks went up early, the Zacks battled back, but in the end, the Nicks were simply too strong. Hopefully this race will prove a accurate omen as we head to the third.
Side Note: Has Matt Christopher ever written about intermission sled racing? If not, I suggest something like, "The Boy With the Grippy Feet"
Second Period, 3:03.
Princeton 2-1.
Good start to the penalty kill for Princeton. Kalemba blocks a shot on the right side from Devergilio. Kalemba then chooses to play a puck and almost pays for it but Princeton recovers to clear the zone. Incredible stick save from Kalemba. Penalty killed by Princeton.
Second Period, 6:14.
Cross from St. Lawrence but the Saints can't get a stick on the puck. There is a bit of a mix up on the ice right now. The refs called a penalty on Princeton but they can't figure out who to put in the penalty box. As it stands, Matt Godlewski has a two-minute minor for elbowing.
Second Period, 7:00.
Good shift from Princeton. Gadowsky is mixing up the Princeton lines and it seems to be working.
Second Period, 9:30.
Princeton 2-1.
Great skating by Sabky to keep the Tigers onside. The Saints kill another penalty. The teams start mixing it up near the St. Lawrence goal after the power play ends.
Second Period, 11:31.
Holding Penalty on St. Lawrence's Jacob Drewiskie. Princeton has its third power play of the period.
Second Period,
Good defensive play by St. Lawrence to prevent any Princeton players from getting a stick on Sabky's cross. The teams are back at even strength.
Power Play
The Saints are playing reckless hockey. Down 2-1 to a tired team, they cannot afford to keep giving up power plays. Hopefully the Tigers can capitalize.
Second Period, 15:17.
St. Lawrence penalty on Brandon Bollig for boarding. Tigers have another power play.
Second Period, 15:18
Cam MacIntyre hits the post on a breakaway and less than twenty seconds later Bartlett finds a pipe. The Tigers are firing on all cylinders right now.
Second Period, 17:16.
2-1 Princeton.
Bartlett's wrist shot is blocked by Petizian and then his cross goes across the ice. Princeton got the kind of start they wanted in the second period.
Goal
The power play woes are over! The Tigers were 0-5 last night and 0-16 in three games against Union, but they finally tally a man-advantage goal tonight. Coach Gadowsky said yesterday that all his team needed was for one to find the net on the power play.
Another side note: There is not a forward in the country playing better than Dan Bartlett right now.
Bartlett scores again, Princeton leads 2-1 at 18:44.
Bartlett scores with 30 seconds left on Princeton's two-man advantage. Bartlett now has seven goals in the ECAC Tournament.
First Period Stats, Game Tied 1-1
Shots:
St. Lawrence 15, Princeton 13
Goals:
P Dan Bartlett at 4:59, unassisted
SL Matt Generous at 9:58, assisted by Rick Carden
Penalties on Miskovic and McBride in the last minute so Princeton will start the second period with a 5-3 advantage.
First Period Over
1-1.
Princeton deflection is stopped by Petizian. Penalty on St. Lawrence: Brock McBride. Another St. Lawrence penalty on Zach Miskovic. Both of the Saints' All-American candidates are in the penalty box. Princeton will start the second period with a two man advantage for 1 minute, 53 seconds.
1st Period Recap
All things considered, the Tigers cannot be upset with the first period result. The longer this game goes, the less their double-overtime game looms over their heads. Princeton had some nice chances, and will have a golden opportunity to take the lead early in the second period - they will have a 5-on-3 power play on fresh ice when play resumes. Head coach Guy Gadowsky will undoubtedly have his team ready to come out firing.
Side note: The Albany Times-Union Center has a dance-off between periods. No talent and terrible music, but it gave me a great idea: "Step Up 3: Takin' it to the Ice"
First Period, one minute remaining.
1-1.
Shot from Devergilio is blocked by the Tigers defense. Shot from Jared Ross goes high of the net. Ross takes another two slap shots from the point. Kalemba covered up the last one. Princeton kills the St. Lawrence penalty. St. Lawrence had multiple chances on power play.
First Period, 4:21. Game tied 1-1.
Shot from Kaiser goes just wide of the net. Slap shot from Kaiser saved by Petizian. Shot by Ritchie on the near post is blocked by Petizian.
Penalty on Jubinville for hooking.
Penalties
This is Princeton's second penalty in the last five minutes. Because of last night's game, the Tigers are already shorthanded. They cannot afford to keep taking minors. This is the nation's most disciplined team, and they need it now more than ever.
First Period, 5:55.
Shot by McBride deflected by Kalemba but St. Lawrence can't come up with the rebound. Princeton kills the St. Lawrence penalty. Only one shot on goal for the Saints during the power play. Shot from Godlewski deflected by Petizian.
Goal
That goal was exactly how the coach drew it up - faceoff win, shot from the point. The Tigers' breathing room just evaporated, and the 9;23 remaining in this period are critical.
St. Lawrence scores to tie the game 1-1 at 10:02
Goal by Matt Generous on a slap shot off a face off.
Penalty on Sabky at 9:23. Princeton will need to hang tough.
First Period, 11:08.
Shot from Bartlett blocked by Petizian. Then Alex Curran shoots high of the net on a short-handed attempt. Petizian makes a glove save off a deflected Cam Ritchie slap shot. Good opportunity for the Tigers. Another shot from Ritchie is blocked by Petizian.
The teams are now at even strength.
Bartlett
You cannot underestimate what junior Dan Bartlett has been for this team in the playoffs. That was his team-leading 15th goal of the season, but more importantly his sixth of the playoffs. He has scored in all 5 of the Tigers' postseason games and is truly emerging as a leader for Princeton.
First Period, 13:38.
Slap shot form Cam Ritchie deflected by Petizian. Princeton has picked up its intensity.
Penalty on St. Lawrence: Kevin Devergilio for tripping.
Goal from Dan Bartlett, Princeton leads 1-0 at 15:01 in First Period
Dan Bartlett puts a wrist shot through Petizian's legs to give the Tigers an early lead. It's Bartlett's sixth goal in the ECAC playoffs.
First Period, 17:42.
First good look of the game from Jubinville stopped by Petizian. Jubinville tried to jam the puck in from the side of the net.
First Period Begins
St. Lawrence controls the opening drop. Early shot from Miskovic is easily gloved by Kalemba.
Goal
Talk about a huge goal. The Tigers entered this game with the intention of keeping it close early to neutralize the ill effects of yesterday's marathon. But to take a lead this early into the game is monumental. The Tigers obviously cannot afford to lay off, but this gives them much needed breathing room - literally and metaphorically.
Starting Lineups
Princeton (wearing white and orange)
LW Marc Hagel
C Kevin Kaiser
RW Brandan Kushniruk (C)
LD Brad Schroeder
RD Matt Godlewski
G Zane Kalemba
St. Lawrence (wearing red and white)
LW Kevin Devergilio
C Brock McBride
RW Mike McKenzie
LD Zach Miskovic
RD Jared Ross
G Alex Petizian
Princeton vs. St. Lawrence ECAC Tournament Consolation Game
Hello and welcome to the Times-Union Center in Albany, New York for this afternoon's game between the No. 9 Princeton Tigers (22-11-0 overall, 14-8-0 ECAC) and the No. 14 St. Lawrence Saints (21-12-4). The winner of the game will almost certainly earn an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament while the loser will be sent home empty-handed.
Both teams suffered heartbreaking losses last night. The Tigers were up 3-1 late in the third period against Cornell before allowing two goals in the final two minutes, 52 seconds. Riley Nash scored the equalizer for Cornell with less than one minute remaining. The game went into the second overtime period before the Big Red's Colin Greening scored the sudden-death game winner to give Cornell a 4-3 win.
St. Lawrence lost in equally gut-wrenching fashion to the ECAC regular season champions, Yale. The Saints were up 3-2 with one minute, 28 seconds left in the third period before Yale scored two goals in a 22 second span to take home a 4-3 victory. The game winning goal was scored by the Bulldogs' senior captain, Matt Nelson.
With both teams having little time to recover from last night's disappointment, this game could be won by the team that starts out with more energy. The Saints have one big advantage on Princeton, having played the earlier game yesterday. As a result, St. Lawrence had an extra four hours to recover for today's all-important consolation game. Princeton has responded well to adversity all year and will have to gut out one final victory in order to solidify a bid in the NCAA tournament.
With both teams' NCAA tournament hopes on the line, it promises to be an exciting and intense game at the Times-Union Center.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Cornell Wins 4-3 in Two Overtimes
As both teams were starting to slow down in the second overtime, Colin Greening snapped a wrist shot past Kalemba at 10:06 to give the Big Red a 4-3 win. The goal sends the Big Red to the ECAC Final against Yale, while Princeton will have to fight for its NCAA Tournament life against St. Lawrence in the consolation game tomorrow.
Second OT, 12:37.
Slap shot from Pallis stopped by Scrivens. Nash has been spending a lot of time on the ice for the Big Red. It will be interesting to see if he gets tired.
Second OT, 16:01.
Shot from Cornell deflected and hits the right post. Cornell shot just deflected over the net. The Big Red just had multiple scoring opportunities with Nash on the ice. Nash's line is giving Princeton all kinds of trouble.
Second OT, 18:29.
Sabky's shot hits Scrivens and then lands on top of the net. Unbelievably close to going in. Glove save by Kalemba on the other end.
Second Overtime Set to Begin
Here we go...Princeton controls the face off. Nash gets off a shot but Kalemba easily deflects it away.
First Overtime Recap, Game tied 3-3
What regulation play lacked in excitement, the first overtime made up for in a flurry. Back and forth hockey was the norm, as both teams peppered the opposing nets with shots, forcing Kalemba and Scrivens to come up with save after save.
Princeton's best chance came on a two-on-one break, but Princeton's shot was not high enough, and was blocked by Scrivens' outstretched pad. Cornell had multiple opportunities from close to the net, but Kalemba stood tall, making saves with every piece of his equipment to keep the Tigers in the game. Though Princeton came out a little sluggish in the first few minutes of overtime, the team quickly recovered to play some of its best offensive hockey of the game.
At this point, the game will come down to which team has more gas left in the tank.
First OT Stats:
Shots: Princeton 10, Cornell 10
No penalties
OT, 0:44.
Kalemba makes a glove save of a Sean Whitney shot. Cornell's next shot goes wide right of the goal. Kalemba blocks away a shot off a two-on-one Cornell break. Shot from Princeton blocked by Scrivens, and the Tigers can't capitalize on the rebound. Less than one minute remaining with the score still tied 3-3 in OT.
OT, 3:53.
Glove save by Kalemba off a Gallagher shot. Kalemba makes a diving save off a Patrick Kennedy shot. Cornell has had the puck in the Princeton zone for a minute now.
OT, 5:01.
Play still going back and forth. The pressure keeps rising but both teams appear to be maintaining their composure.
OT, 7:24.
Shot from Kennedy goes wide for Cornell. Arhontas undercuts a Cornell player. Kalemba stops a Krueger shot from right in front of the net. INCREDIBLE Save.
OT, 10:53.
Shot from Riley Nash goes over the right side of the net. Then Jubinville has a chance but Cornell makes a nice defensive play to prevent a shot.
Fedun's shot is blocked by Scrivens. The Tigers just had three opportunities to score but Scrivens blocked them all. Very exciting hockey right now.
OT, 14:00.
Bartlett almost steals the puck in front of the Cornell net. Scrivens lays out to block a point blank Princeton opportunity. Had the shot been a foot higher, it would have gone in the net. Scrivens then jabs the puck away from his net after the faceoff. Princeton has picked up its play.
OT, 15:48.
Lohry trips trying to bring the puck into the offensive zone. Shot from Pederson goes over the net. Multiple shots from Cornell then go just wide of the net. Princeton is toeing an incredibly thin line right now. The Tigers will need to do a better job of clearing their defensive zone to turn things around.
OT, 17:30.
The puck bounces around in front of the Princeton goal but Cornell can't capitalize. The Tigers finally clear their defensive zone. Cornell looks much sharper in the beginning of the extra period.
Overtime Begins
Cornell controls the opening faceoff, let's see if Princeton can recover from its third period collapse.
Regulation Recap
Princeton appeared to be headed to the ECAC Tournament final, up 3-1 against Cornell with less than 3 minutes to play in regulation. But the Big Red would not go away. First, it was Barlow scoring a four-on-four goal to bring Cornell within 1. Then, with only 24.5 seconds remaining, Riley Nash, Cornell's star center who had been neutralized for much of the game, banged home a loose puck to tie the score 3-3 and send the game to overtime.
At times, the game had a lackadaisical feel until the closing minutes. Both teams struggled to establish any consistency in the offensive zone. The first goal of the game, from Princeton's Sam Sabky, came off a rebound. Cornell's first goal,from Tyler Mungford, was almost a mirror image, coming off a stick side rebound as well.
Princeton's second goal was scored on an excellent play be Dan Bartlett. The junior center streaked up the left side of the goal, went around the goal causing Scrivens to lose his balance, and punching the puck in to give Princeton a 2-1 edge. Then it was MacIntyre, coming in from the right side and chipping the puck over Scrivens to give Princeton a 3-1 edge in the third period. At that point, it looked like the Tigers had a berth in the finals locked up, with ECAC player of the year Zane Kalemba only needing to hold off the Big Red for a few more minutes to end the game. It was not to be, as Cornell stormed back to force overtime.
After coming so close to winning, the Tigers will need to turn things around quickly if they want to return to the ECAC final. The opening minute of overtime will be crucial for Princeton to show that it is not reeling after Cornell's late game heroics.
The two teams will play twenty-minute periods of sudden death overtime until one team scores a goal. The next team to score will win the game and earn a spot in the ECAC Tournament final, tomorrow night against Yale.
Third Period, 0:24.
Riley Nash scores to tie the score 3-3. A Big Red player fell on Kalemba and he was unable to make the save.
45.7 seconds remaining
Cornell calls a time out. Princeton will need to hang tough for another minute to advance to the final.
Third Period, 0:45.
Cornell is struggling to get the puck in the Princeton zone.
Scrivens leaves his net with 1 minute remaining. Kalemba makes a glove save to stop play.
Third Period, 2:52.
Kalemba blocks another point blank Cornell attempt.
Evan Barlow scores for Cornell to make the score 3-2. The Big Red had been outplaying Princeton in four-on-four play all game.
Third Period, 4:11.
Cornell penalty on Colin Greening for interference, his second of the game, to nullify Cornell's advantage. The teams will play four-on-four for 1:35.
Third Period, 4:37.
Gallagher uses some nice stick work to move up the ice and get a shot off but Kalemba makes another save. Scrivens makes a glove save on Hagel's attempt.
Princeton penalty on Mike Kramer. Cornell will need to capitalize if they want to stay in the game.
Third Period, 6:07.
In an unexpected turn, the Princeton band's tuba player drops his tuba down the steps, but recovers so the band plays on.
Cornell kills another Princeton penalty, as the Tiger power play continues to struggle.
Third Period, 11:44.
Matt Arhontas shoots wide right. Not much has happened in the past few minutes but Princeton will need to stay on its guard to prevent Cornell from mounting a late game comeback.
Third Period, 14:22.
Short-handed attempt from Arhontas goes wide right. Penalty on Greening at 16:48. So the teams will play four-on-four for one minute. Kalemba blocks a Patrick Kennedy wraparound. Wilson is back on the ice so Princeton now has a man-advantage. Cornell kills another Princeton penalty.
Second Period, 17:50
The Tigers are now outshooting Cornell 22-19 - That's a little more like it. This penalty kill is make-or-break for the Big Red.
Third Period, 17:50.
Shot from Ritchie blocked by Scrivens and Princeton can't capitalize on the rebound. Immediately after Nash comes back on the ice, a penalty is called on Brett Wilson for hooking. Now Cornell has a man-advantage.
Third Period Begins
Nash in the penalty box. Let's see if Princeton can take advantage and stretch its lead.
Second Period Over, Princeton leads 2-1
The game is getting feistier as the second period comes to a close. MacIntyre's shot goes wide right of the goal. Cornell penalty on Riley Nash (I wonder what the Edmonton Oilers thinks about that) with only 7.5 seconds remaining. So the Tigers will have a man advantage to start the third period.
Second Period, 1:08.
Slapshot from Brendon Nash goes wide right of the goal. Another slapshot form Cornell goes wide left. The Big Red had the better end of the four-on-four.
With the teams back at even strength, Taylor Fedun takes a slap shot that Scrivens blocks with his body.
Second Period, 4:12.
A pair of penalties on Gallagher for Cornell and Magnowswki for Princeton. The team's will play four-on-four for the next two minutes.
Second Period, 5:57.
Scrivens blocks a Kramer shot with his right pad. MacIntyre levels a Cornell player in the right corner of the offensive zone.
Then Dan Bartlett skates around the Cornell goal and scores on a wraparound to give Princeton a 2-1 lead. Bartlett's move had Scrivens way out of position and the Big Red goalie could not recover.
Second Period, 9:30.
Shot from Scali blocked by Kalemba. Cornell has stepped up its speed and intensity since Princeton's goal. The Tigers will need to respond in order to reestablish momentum.
Second Period,12:45.
Cornell scores to make the score 1-1. With the puck loose in the Princeton zone, the Tigers fail to clear the zone and Tyler Mungford knocks in the rebound on Kalemba's stick side.
Goal
Cornell was playing too well to not score eventually. It will be interesting to see how the Tigers respond now. They have played a much better period, but the heavily-Red crowd is starting to get involved and the middle of the second period is where momentum becomes a hot commodity.
Second Period, 14:36.
Kalemba blocks a shot on the right side from Colin Greening. Cornell has stepped up the pressure in the last few minutes and the intensity of the game is picking up. Scrivens stops a Pallis wrist shot for a faceoff.
Second Period, 16:20.
After a faceoff in the Princeton zone, the puck bounces off a few players and trickles by Kalemba, only to hit the outside of the left post and go just wide.
Slap shot from Derrick Pallis is blocked aside by Scrivens. On the ensuing faceoff, Kramer fires a shot that is covered up by Scrivens. Princeton has come out like a completely different team in the second period and has put much more pressure on Scrivens and the Cornell defense.
Goal
Scrivens put that rebound on a platter. Sabky made a quick move around a defender and slammed it into the gaping net. In a game of elite goaltenders, it is imperative to capitalize on every small mistake. Princeton just did exactly that.
Third Period, 8:50.
Kaiser's backhand shot goes wide left. A wrist shot from Jubinville is stopped by Scrivens. MacIntyre flips the puck above Scrivens glove for another Princeton goal, then proceeds to get in a fight with the entire Cornell team.
But as it stands, Princeton leads 3-1.
There is also a penalty on Mungford for Cornell.
Second Period, 18:20.
Princeton Goal from Sam Sabky, who knocks in the rebound after a MacIntyre slap shot on an odd-man rush. Princeton leads 1-0.
First Period Stats
Cornell holds a 12-7 edge in shots after one period. Let's see if Princeton can turn it around in the second period.
First Period Over
The first period ends with MacIntyre mixing it up with a Cornell player by the Big Red bench. Something tells me this is a plot to follow for the rest of the game...
First Period, 0:41.
Slap shot from Brendon Nash blocked by Kalemba. Less than one minute remaining in the first period, which has been primarily controlled by the Big Red.
First Period, 2:21.
Princeton kills the Cornell penalty. There is a tussle in front of the Princeton net but Kalemba covers up the puck.
Princeton is currently being out shot by Cornell, which does not happen often as Princeton leads the nation in shots.
First Period, 4:30.
Slap shot from Ritchie goes wide right.
Cornell has the puck behind the net but Kalemba blocks another shot. Princeton is struggling to keep the puck in its offensive zone so far. Cornell has the edge in early opportunities but has been stymied by Kalemba.
Penalty on Kaiser for slashing.
First Period, 7:23.
Backhand attempt from Kramer goes wide of the goal. Shot from Schroeder on a 3-2 break goes over the glass. Nash's penalty is over. Cornell has a 17 second man-advantage which Princeton easily kills.
Following the penalty, Cornell crosses the puck in front of the ice but Kalemba blocks it away with his stick.
First Period, 9:40.
Penalty on Riley Nash for slashing at 10:03.
Quickly followed by a holding penalty on Jody Pederson at 9:40.
The teams are playing four-on-four.
First Period, 10:34.
Backhand attempt from Jubinville goes right of the net. Following the missed shot, Princeton has the puck behind the net but Scrivens covers up the puck.
Shot from Brendon Nash blocked aside by Kalemba. Cam Ritchie levels a Cornell player in Princeton's offensive zone.
First Period, 13:25.
Shot from Cornell deflected by Kalemba off the pipe. Shortly afterwards, Kalemba stops a point blank Cornell attempt before another shot goes off the pipe. The second shot was much more of a threat.
Cornell looks a little sharper early in the game. Princeton is struggling to get the puck out of its defensive zone.
First Period, 17:16.
The first shot of the game, a slap shot by Jubinville, is easily brushed aside by Scrivens. Other than that, not much action as both teams struggle to establish an early edge.
Starting Lineups
Princeton (wearing Black and Orange)
LW Marc Hagel
C Kevin Kaiser
RW Brandan Kushniruk
LD Brad Schroeder
RD Matt Godlewski
G Zane Kalemba
Cornell (wearing White and Red)
LW Patrick Kennedy
C Riley Nash
RW Evan Barlow
LD Brendon Nash
RD Justin Krueger
G Ben Scrivens
ECAC Semifinals - No. 8 Princeton vs. No. 9 Cornell
Hi and welcome to downtown Albany’s Times-Union Center for the ECAC Hockey semifinal between No. 8 Princeton University and No. 9 Cornell University. Earlier today No. 14 St. Lawrence beat No. 7 Yale 3-2 to advance to tomorrow’s finals. The Bulldogs will await the winner of tonight’s contest.
The Tigers (22-10-0) won their best-of-three series against Union last weekend in the three games behind strong play from junior goaltender Zane Kalemba and junior forward Dan Bartlett. Princeton won the first game 3-2, dropped the second 5-2, and won the deciding game 3-2 thanks to three first-period goals.
But hidden behind the series victory was a serious flaw in Princeton’s game: its physicality. The Tigers were abused physically by the Dutchmen, especially in their ugly Game 2 loss, and must come out tonight with heightened intensity. The return of junior forward Cam MacIntyre should help – MacIntyre dressed for the third game against Union and gave Princeton a much-needed physical presence – but the Tigers will need intensity from more than just one player. Princeton is the least penalized team in the nation (10.6 minutes per game) which is beneficial as long as that discipline does not impinge on the team’s physicality. Last weekend the Tigers found themselves on the wrong side of that line and it will be interesting to see if Cornell comes out tonight with the intention of attacking Princeton on the boards.
Tonight’s game is a showdown between two of the nation’s best goaltenders. Kalemba, recently named one of the ten Hobey Baker finalists, ranks second in the nation in save percentage (.936) and fourth in goals against average (1.6876). Cornell junior goalie Ben Scrivens is tied with Kalemba with a .936 save percentage and third in the nation with a 1.6808 GAA.
Big Red sophomore forward Riley Nash is sixth in the ECAC with a team-high 32 points. Riley is strong on the puck, but the line to watch for Cornell is centered by senior Michael Kennedy with junior Colin Greening on the left wing and freshman Locke Jillson on the right wing. Greening and Kennedy have excellent on-ice chemistry, and the Tigers must be aware of where they are at all times. Another Cornell skater to watch is junior Tyler Mugford, who centers the third line.
For the Tigers, the line to watch is senior Lee Jubinville between senior Brett Wilson and sophomore Mike Kramer. It seems as though all the Tigers’ recent offense has come from this group, and they must continue their recent tear tonight. That being said, the Tigers will need offense production from somewhere else as well. Sophomore forward Kevin Lohry had a huge tournament here last year, so look for him to step up. Same goes for MacIntyre, who was second on the team in scoring last season, but has been plagued throughout this season by injuries.
Keys to the Game:
Eric Dodds: Power Play. The Tigers were 0-16 against in their three games against Union, and have converted only 4 of their last 53 chances on the man-advantage.
Zach Kwartler: The Tigers need a goal from either sophomore forward Kevin Lohry, junior forward Cam MacIntyre, or junior forward Mark Magnowski – Production from a line other than the Wilson-Jubinville-Kramer juggernaut.
Eben Novy-Williams: Establish a physical presence. The Tigers need to show early on that they will not be pushed around like they were last weekend.
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