Princeton's 2018-19 Season Ends in ECAC First Round

 

Princeton University's 2018-19 men's ice hockey season came to an an end tonight in Providence. Alex Brink scored 3:30 into the third overtime session to boost host Brown University to a

6-5 victory in Game 2 of its best-of-three ECAC Hockey first-round series with the Tigers at Meehan Auditorium. At a total time of 103:30, it was the longest game in the history of both schools.

Coupled with Brown's 3-0 win on Friday, Princeton has been eliminated from the conference tournament, while the Bears will travel to either Quinnipiac or Cornell next weekend for a best-of-three quarterfinal series. Princeton eliminated Brown in two games in the first round of the ECACs last spring in New Jersey, en route to the league title.

The two Ivy League rivals played to a 2-2 tie after 40 minutes on Saturday, before Brown scored three times in the first 14:12 of the third stanza to take a 5-2 lead. Princeton pulled within 5-3 just a minute later on Alex Riche's second goal of the night, before Ryan Kuffner scored his second goal of the evening and team-leading 22nd goal of the campaign at 17:41. Kuffner then assisted on Jackson Cressey's tying marker with 49 seconds remaining in regulation. All three goals were scored in a span of 2:47, and all with Princeton's goaltender pulled for an extra attacker.

The teams then played through two scoreless 20-minute overtime periods before Brink ended it. Ryan Ferland took the loss in goal for the Tigers (10-18-3 overall, 8-12-2 ECAC) despite stopping 31 shots. Gavin Nieto earned the win for the Bears (13-13-5, 8-9-5) in making 35 stops.

Kuffner, ECAC Hockey's Player of the Month for February 2019, finished his college career with a school record 75 goals in four seasons, among his 152 points in 132 career games that leave him second all-time in school scoring behind John Messuri's 178 points. Kuffner also paced Princeton with 44 points in 31 outings as a senior this season.

Longtime linemate Max Veronneau was kept off the scoresheet on Friday and Saturday, but scored two goals in a 3-2 regular-season finale victory at Brown on March 2. He completed his college career with 52-91—143 points in 130 appearances, which ranks hims fourth all-time in Princeton points, and finished second to Kuffner on this year's Tiger scoring scroll with 13-23—36 points in 31 games.

Riche posted two goals and two assists in his Tigers swansong Saturday, and placed third among all Princeton scorers this season with 11-15—26 points in 31 games, plus 26-49—75 points in 122 career contests. Finishing in fourth place was senior defenseman Josh Teves with 3-17—20 points in 31 games, and 16-69—85 points in 126 career appearances. Together the foursome led Princeton to the ECAC Hockey tournament championship last year in Lake Placid, plus a berth in the NCAA Midwest Regional in Allentown, Pa. where the Tigers fell to eventual Frozen Four participant Ohio State. Also finishing their Princeton careers on Saturday were senior forward Spencer Kryczka (19 GP, 1-1—2) and senior goaltender Austin Shaw (9 GP, 2-1-1, 2.93, .904).

Other NCAA Division I men's schools that saw their seasons end on Saturday included Alabama-Huntsville, Alaska Fairbanks, Bemidji State, Colgate, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech, and Rensselaer.

Princeton Downs St. Lawrence, 5-3, in Home Finale

Princeton University closed out the home portion of its 2018-19 schedule on Saturday night with a 5-3 victory over ECAC Hockey rival St. Lawrence.

Ryan Kuffner led the host Tigers with two goal and an assist, including his team-leading 20th goal of the season, after setting a new single-season school record with 29 tallies a year ago. Jackson Cressey tallied one goal and set up two others, while Alex Riche and Max Veronneau scored Princeton's other goals. Ryan Ferland picked up the win with 21 saves over 59 minutes before giving way to backup Austin Shaw, who played in his final home game at Hobey Baker Rink, as did senior classmates Riche, Kuffner, Verroneau, Spencer Kryczka and Josh Teves.

Keenan Suthers, Zach Risteau and Bo Hanson scored for the visiting Saints, who went 2-for-5 on the power play. Emil Zetterquist finished with 25 saves for St. Lawrence, which was outshot, 30-24, overall.

Princeton (8-16-3 overall, 6-12-2 ECAC), in 11th place in ECAC Hockey, will skate next weekend at Brown and Yale, while 12th place St. Lawrence (4-26-2, 2-16-2) will host Cornell and Colgate as the league closes out its regular-season slate.

Princeton, Penn State Skate to Tie in Philadelphia

Max Veronneau and Ryan Kuffner posted four points apiece, including Kuffner's tying goal with 1:08 remaining in regulation, as Princeton knotted Penn State, 4-4, in the 2018 Philadelphia College Hockey Faceoff at the Wells Fargo Center.

Veronneau scored two goals for Princeton, which got the game-opening goal from Josh Teves. Brandon Biro, Chase Berger and Nate Sucese scored in the first period for Penn State (11-5-2 overall), which outshot host Princeton, 13-3 in the first period, and 37-35 on the night. Alec Marsh scored Penn State’s fourth goal 17 seconds into the second period to put the Nittany Lions up, 4-1, at the time.

Peyton Jones finished with 31 saves for Penn State, including a stop on Veronneau in overtime. Veronneau posted two goals and two assists on the night, while Kuffner had a goal and three assists. Austin Smith stopped all 21 shots he faced in the Princeton net, after relieving starter Ryan Ferland (12 saves) following Marsh’s goal.

Princeton (3-8-2) went 0-for-3 on the power play, while Penn State was 0-for-2.

Three Tigers Make Preseason 2018-19 ECAC Hockey Team

Three Princeton University seniors were named to the 2018-19 ECAC Hockey All-League Team, as reported on the league website.

Princeton forward Max Véronneau joined longtime linemate Ryan Kuffner up front, while defenseman Josh Teves was chosen on the blueline. Véronneau finished second among all NCAA Division I men's hockey players last season with 55 points, while Kuffner set a new single-season Princeton standard by scoring 29 goals. Teves led all NCAA Division I defensemen last season with 1.06 points per game, notching 33 points in 31 outings, while all three players helped the Tigers to their first ECAC Hockey Championship and automatic NCAA Tournament berth since 2008.

Rounding out the preseason All-League Team was Yale University senior forward Joe Snively, Harvard University junior defenseman Adam Fox, and Cornell University sophomore goaltender Matthew Galajda. Cornell also topped both the preseason ECAC Hockey media and coaches polls as the projected top team in the conference for the upcoming campaign, while Princeton was tabbed for second place in both polls.

Princeton Splits with Bemidji State

 

Princeton University gave up a goal just 17 seconds into Friday's game, but then didn't look back in scoring twice in each of the next two periods on to best Bemidji State, 4-1, at Hobey Baker Rink. The Tigers thus gained a split in the two-game series, which began on Wednesday with a 5-3 victory by the visiting Beavers.

After BSU's Jay Dickman one-timed home a puck from the slot in the first minute of play, the score remained unchanged until Ryan Kuffner connected on a Princeton power play with just over three minutes left in the second period. The Tigers then went ahead for good less than two minutes later,  when Alex Riche backhanded a puck from behind the goal line that glanced off the inside of BSU goaltender Jack Burgart's pad and slid into the net.

David Hallisey scored from the left side just under five minutes into the third stanza to make it 3-1 for Princeton, and the goal stood following an official review after BSU challenged that the play had been offside. Princeton freshman and New Jersey native Jake Paganelli closed out the scoring on a breakaway at 14:18 for his first career collegiate goal.

Ryan Ferland finished with 26 saves for the Tigers, while Burgart made 36 stops for the Beavers in his first starts of the 2017-18 season. Josh Teves recorded two assists for Princeton, while Kuffner had a goal and an assist. The all-time series between the two schools is now tied at three wins apiece.

Princeton (4-4-1 overall) will now host ECAC opponent Quinnipiac on Tuesday night and will then visit Arizona State for two games next weekend, while BSU (5-5-2) will visit WCHA opponent Bowling Green next Friday and Saturday.

Princeton Edges UWO in Exhibition, 6-4

Liam Grande's second goal with 5:05 remaining in regulation stood up as the game-winner as the Princeton University Tigers overcame an early 2-1 deficit to best Western Ontario, 6-4, in an exhibition game at Hobey Baker Rink on Saturday evening.

Max Veronneau set up three Princeton goals and Eric Robinson had two assists while Reid Yochim, Jackson Cressey, Josh Teves and Alex Riche also scored for the Tigers, who finished 15-16-3 overall a year ago. Freshman netminder Ryan Ferland stopped all four shots he faced in playing the final eight minutes and 24 seconds of regulation for the Tigers, and also picked up the victory (which will not count in NCAA totals, as an exhibition) as he was in net for Grande's game-winner.

Princeton starting goaltender Austin Shaw stopped 19 of 22 shots over the first 40 minutes on Saturday, while Ben Halford saved two of three shots in just over 11 minutes of play. Princeton finished 3-for-7 on the power play, and stopped 4-of-5 man-advantage attempts by the Mustangs, who got two goals from Anthony Stefano.


Princeton will open its 2017-18 regular season against visiting Holy Cross on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 4 p.m. at Baker Rink.

Princeton Tops St. Lawrence, 3-1

Princeton spotted St. Lawrence a goal on Friday night at Hobey Baker Rink, then scored three straight times to knock off yet another ranked opponent this season.

The host Tigers (10-11-3 overall, 5-9-3 ECAC) increased their unbeaten streak to five games with a 3-1 victory over No. 18 St. Lawrence (15-9-6, 11-4-3), which has now lost two consecutive contests. Princeton remains one point behind Dartmouth in the ECAC standings for the fourth and final home first-round playoff spot in the ECAC Tournament, as the Big Green held on to beat Rensselaer, 2-1.

Jacob Pritchard gave SLU a 1-0 lead just over five minutes into the game, before Alex Riche tied it for the Tigers under 11 minutes later. Josh Teves scored the game-winning goal on a power-play rush with just under three minutes remaining in the second stanza, and Max Becker drove to the net to stuff the puck home for an insurance goal 5:31 into the final frame.

Kyle Hayton finished with 33 saves for the Saints, while Colton Phinney made 30 stops for the Tigers. Princeton is now 7-5-0 against ranked opponents this winter, with two wins apiece over Bemidji State and Quinnipiac, plus single victories over Minnesota State, Penn State and now SLU.

The Saints will skate at Quinnipiac on Saturday night, while Princeton will entertain Clarkson.

ADDENDUM: Princeton rebounded from a  two-goal, third-period deficit to win, 3-2, in overtime against Clarkson on a goal by Derek Topatigh, the first of his college career.