Three Tigers - Lohry, Moore, and Kalmeba - make the All-Tournament team, and Kalemba wins Player of the Tournament.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Period 3 - Ends
The 2007-2008 Princeton Tigers are ECAC Champions for only the second time in program history. Congrats to the team, their families, and I hope you'll join me back here next weekend, for their NCAA Tournament game.
Period 3 - 1:38
Harvard pulls Richter in favor of an extra skater.
GOAL PRINCETON
Sophomore forward Mark Magnowski shoots one into the open net.
Period 3 - 3:06
GOAL PRINCETON
Brett Wilson, on the powerplay, passes up on a chance to feed Fedun and fires a wrist shot underneath Richter. Nice play by Cam MacIntyre behind the net on the assist. 3-1, this game is all but over folks.
Period 3 - 3:47
More of the same from Princeton. they're bending but not breaking.
Penalty on Harvard. Barring a Tigers goal, he'll get back on the ice with 1:47 left to play. The Crimson may pull their goalie before then, but if not, the Tigers are looking at 2 minutes to take off the clock.
Period 3 - 6:36
Princeton hanging in there. Up 2-1, but Harvard has really come on as of later. A few big saves from Kalemba, and the defense looks intent to just clear it out every time they get the chance.
Period 3 - 12:59
Penalty over. Princeton had a few opportunities, but was unable to net their third goal of the night. Harvard seems to have new intensity.
Period 3 - 16:58
Penalty on Harvard. This is a good opportunity for the Tigers to reopen a two goal lead.
Period 3 - 19:45
Right out fo the gate, Princeton's Talyor Fedun called for elbowing, and Harvard's power play converts.
GOAL HARVARD
On a slapshot from John Pelle the left side beat Kalemba. It will be interesting to see how the Tigers respond to this.
Period 2 - Notes
At this point, the Tigers simply need to hang on. Harvard is 0-9 this season when trailing after two periods. Princeton is possessing the puck and playing good defense. They are twenty minutes away from a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Period 2 - Ends
Another good period for Princeton. Harvard will have a 40 second power play when we get back.
Period 2 - 0:31
Princeton gives it right back. Penalty on the Tigers.
#26 Matt Arhontas - 2:00 for Hooking
Period 2 - 2:10
Back and forth action here. Kalemba has made a few critical saves, but the Tigers defense, especially Schroeder and Godlewski, have been excellent.
Period 2 - 7:16
Back and forth play now. Both teams getting chances.
GOAL PRINCETON
Shot from the point by Landis Stankievech gets by Richter and dribbles in. Again bodies in front. Princeton can't let up now, they have them from the ropes.
Period 2 - 11:20
Harvard has dominated play recently, but Princeton has been great at cutting off angles and blocking shots. They had seven blocked shots in the first period - I miswrote when I said they had four - and have continued the trend in the second.
Period 2 - 16:09
The second period starts with a good chance for Harvard. Kalemba made the first save and the Crimson were unable to put away the rebound, which bounced high and away from the net.
A few more good chances for the Crimson. Harvard seems to have matched Princeton's intensity from the first period.
Period 1 - Notes
Good start. Princeton has certainly had the better of play. They are getting possession in the offensive third, the defenders are getting involved in the offense, and that is allowing Tiger forwards to establish themselves in front of the net. The goal, a wrist shot from Moore, was scored when the shot hit a skate in front, and the Tigers need to continue with the same. As for the physical aspect, the Tigers still have not flexed their muscles along the boards. Expect more of the same style play in the second half.
Another positive from Princeton was their defensive effort. Kalemba has been excellent, pushing his scoreless streak up over 200 minutes, but the defense has done a great job blocking shots and get inside the shooting lanes. Princeton has already blocked four shots.
In all, Princeton has so far accomplished two of the three "Keys to the Game" (numbers one and three) and have played an overall outstanding first period.
Period 1 - Ends
Powerplay gives little to the Tigers. This is best penalty kill in the ECAC. Period ends, good start.
Period 1 - 1:54
Big hit by Biega on Jubinville. Moore gets off a nice shot from between the circles and a penalty on Crimson. Good stuff from Princeton.
#14 Dave MacDonald - 2:00 for Contact to the Head/Roughing
Period 1 - 4:37
Good save by Kalemba in front. He was challenged with a shot, then held his ground as Harvard hacked away.
Period 1 - 5:43
Good chance for Princeton. Wilson skates in 1-on-1, but whiffs on the shot and Richter saves his second attempt. Princeton is keeping the pedal to the metal.
Another scuffle in front of the Harvard net, with Princeton forwards hacking away. The Tigers continue to get bodies in front of Richter and its paying off. Shots are getting deflected and its proving difficult for the Crimson goalie.
Harvard hits the post. Princeton the other way scores on a rebound, but the goal is called off due to an early whistle.
Period 1 - 10:27
Good kill for Princeton. A few nice saves by Kalemba, and the defense is getting low to block shots.
Period 1 - 12:29
Good look for Kushniruk in front. Nice blocker save by Richter. The Tigers are outplaying the Crimson right now. Penalty on Princeton.
#21 Mike Moore - 2:00 for Hooking
Period 1 - 13:54
Quick note for Tigers fans - Harvard has only one win all season when they do not score the first goal.
That is exactly what I spoke of in my preview. The Tigers got bodies in front of the net, and the screened Richter on the shot. Moore's wrister is his fifth of the season.
Period 1 - 17:45
And we're underway!
One small roster change for the Tigers, senior Erik Pridham is dressed for tonight's game. Pridham will be seeing his first action in the 2008 Playoffs. Kieth Shattenkirk, who recorded two assists in a solid game yesterday, is scratched in his place.
Princeton records the first shot on goal, and play yo-yos back and forth. While both of these teams' opponents yesterday - Cornell and Colgate - are known for slow meticulous play, this game expects to be more open.
Good start for the Tigers.
Starting Line-Ups
Princeton:
Kevin Kaiser - C - Sophomore
Brandan Kushniruk - RW - Senior
Kyle Hagel - LW - Senior
Matt Godlewski - D - Freshman
Brad Schroeder - D - Sophomore
Zane Kalemba - G - Sophomore
Harvard:
Doug Rogers - C - Senior
Matt McCollem - RW - Freshman
Mike Taylor - LW - Senior (captain)
Jack Christian - D - Junior
Brian McCafferty - D - Juniot
Kyle Richter - G - Sophomore
ECAC Finals vs. No. 16 Harvard
Hi and welcome to downtown
Yesterday afternoon, backed by lights-out goaltending from sophomore Zane Kalemba, the Tigers beat Colgate 3-0 in the first semifinal. Kalemba made 27 saves in the shutout – with a number of timely highlight reel stops – and the Tigers, who were unable to find a groove in the first two periods, capitalized on a pair of Raiders mistake to score twice in the third – Princeton added an empty-net tally in the final period. Tigers goals were scored by freshman forward Matt Arhontas – who has scored in each of the Tigers’ four playoff games this season – and Kevin Lohry, who netted both the game’s second goal and the empty netter. (A more comprehensive recap of the game can be found on The Daily Princetonian website, www.dailyprincetonian.com).
Last night, Harvard outlasted Cornell 3-1 to earn the right to play
The two teams met twice during the regular season with each team winning on its home ice. On January 5, in Hobey Baker Rink, the Tigers beat the Crimson 2-1 on goals from Arhontas and sophomore forward Kevin Kaiser. On February 15 in
The Crimson finished the regular season in third in the ECAC, thanks mostly to sophomore goaltender Kyle Richter. Richter led the ECAC in save percentage (.935) and goals-against-average (1.82) during the regular season, while recording 12 wins and earning the award for the ECAC’s Goaltender of the Year. Harvard surrender the least goals – 41 – in ECAC play, and are led by senior defenseman Dave McDonald, and forwards Doug Rogers (sophomore) and Mike Taylor (senior).
Tonight’s game features two of the least penalized teams in the ECAC – Princeton was 9th and Harvard 10th – and the Crimson boast the league’s best special teams average. Harvard killed 91.3% of the opposition’s penalties this season, which led the league, and are third in the league on the power play, converting 20%.
To win tonight, the Tigers are going to need to accomplish three things that they struggled with last night. The following are
1) The Tigers need to get traffic in front of the goalie.
2) The Tigers need to establish themselves physically. All season
3) The Tigers defense needs to avoid giving up the big play. While the blueliners were good yesterday, they gave Colgate a number of quality fast break opportunities. Kalemba was tremendous, stopping everything thrown at him, but the Tigers cannot expect that two games in a row. The
The consolation game just ended – Cornell defeated Colgate 4-1 – and we should be getting underway within the next half hour. Both team's are currently warming up - Princeton in their home whites and Harvard in their away Crimson - so stick with me, and I will bring you the action as it unfolds.
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