Princeton Knots Yale in Home Finale

Princeton closed out its 2024-25 regular-season home slate with a 2-2 tie against ECAC Hockey/Ivy League rival Yale last night. The Tigers claimed the ensuing shootout, 3-2, to earn an extra point in the conference standings, although it is officially a tie game according to the NCAA.

Nick Marciano and Miles Gunty staked the Tigers to a 2-0 lead just past the midway point of regulation, but Micah Berger and Kalen Szeto scored under five minutes apart for the Bulldogs to tie the game by the end of the second period. After a scoreless third frame and five-minute overtime, Princeton won the shootout as Alex Konavalov, Noah de la Durantaye and David Jacobs tallied in the extra session, while Berger and Zach Wagnon connected for Yale. Ethan Pearson finished with 17 saves in net for Princeton, and stopped 3-of-5 attempts in the shootout, while Luke Pearson made 33 stops for Yale. Both teams combined to go 0-for-7 on the power play.

Konavalov, de la Durantaye, Pearson and Jack Cronin were honored pre-game on Senior Night at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink. The Tigers (10-14-3 overall, 5-12-3 ECACH) remain two points ahead of last-place Yale (6-18-3, 5-12-3) in the ECAC Hockey standings, with both schools to wrap up their respective regular seasons next weekend.

Princeton Ends 2024 with Win at Army

The Princeton University men's hockey team closed out the calendar year with a 1-0 victory at Army on Saturday at Tate Rink in West Point, N.Y. 

Princeton's Jake Manfred scored the only goal of the game, on the power play just before the halfway point of regulation, assisted by Noah de la Durantaye and David Jacobs, before 2,648 on-lookers. Arthur Smith stopped all 24 shots he faced for the Tigers, who won their fifth consecutive game dating back to Nov. 29.

Both teams will continue in NCAA non-conference action next weekend, against Hockey East schools. The Tigers improved to 6-4-1 overall, and will host New Hampshire on Jan. 3-4 at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink. Army (5-13-0) fell to Vermont, 6-0, today, and will face visiting Merrimack on Friday.

Princeton Blanks Waterloo in Exhibition

Princeton University is off to a good start under new head coach Ben Syer. The Tigers blanked Waterloo (Ont.) by a 6-0 count in an exhibition contest on Saturday evening at Hobey Baker Rink.

Princeton got goals from six different scorers, with three of them assisted by Jayden Sisson. Noah de la Durantaye and David Ma set up two goals apiece, while Alex Konovalov posted a goal and an assist. Princeton outshot Waterloo, 42-18, with Tiger goaltenders Ethan Pearson (seven saves) and Arthur Smith (11 saves) combining for the shutout. Dan Murphy finished with 37 stops for the visiting Warriors, who surrendered two Princeton power-play goals.

The result and individual/team statistics will not count in Princeton's official NCAA totals. The Tigers open the 2024-25 season for real at home against ECAC Hockey rival Harvard on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.

Princeton Edges Army West Point, 4-3, in OT

Adam Robbins' goal with 27 seconds remaining in three-on-three overtime was the game-winner, as Princeton edged visiting Army West Point, 4-3, in a non-conference contest on Monday night at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink. 

Army's Joey Baez had tied the game with just five seconds remaining in regulation, with goaltender Gavin Abric (25 saves) pulled for an extra attacker, before Robbins won it. Princeton's Ethan Pearson finished with 27 stops, including a spectacular diving glove save on a 2-on-1 rush to keep the host Tigers ahead at the time by a goal.

Princeton's Kevin Anderson opened the scoring early in the first period with his first career NCAA goal, before Brent Keefer tied it less than five minutes later. Jack Cronin connected on a power play late just four seconds before the first intermission to put the Tigers back on top, before Rick Lyle tied it again early in the second stanza for the Black Knights (7-18-1 overall). Kai Daniels then scored on a partial breakaway less than four minutes later to make it 3-2 for Princeton (7-11-2), and the score remained unchanged until Baez tied it on a one-timer from the left circle with time winding down.

Princeton defenseman Noah de la Durantaye finished with two assists, as did Army blueliner Mac Gadowsky, son of former Princeton and current Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky. The Black Knights outshot the Tigers, 30-29, but finished 1-for-7 on the power play. Princeton, which snapped a six-game losing streak with the victory, went 1-for-2 with the man advantage.

Sacred Heart Edges Princeton in Shootout

Princeton's home overtime winning streak came to a close on Saturday.

The Tigers settled for a 2-2 non-conference tie with Sacred Heart at Hobey Baker Rink on Dec. 9 after 65 minutes of play. SHU won the ensuing shootout, 2-1, but for NCAA tournament purposes the game goes into the books as a draw. Princeton, which had defeated ECAC Hockey opponents Yale, Brown and Cornell in its three previous home games last month, is now 5-5-2 overall on the season, while SHU moved to 8-7-1. Princeton had earned a 4-0 win at SHU the previous evening in Fairfield, Conn. in the first meeting between the two schools since Jan. 2013.

Daniel Ebrahim led the visiting Pioneers with a goal and also drew an assist on Hunter Sansbury's goal, as SHU built a 2-1 lead after two periods of play. Noah de la Durantaye got Princeton on the board in the second stanza to tie the game at one, before Jack Cronin knotted the contest early in the third period. In the shootout, Kevin Lombardi and Mark Cheremeta sandwiched scores around one by de la Durantaye to give SHU the "win".

Cullen DeYoung made 32 saves for the Pioneers in his first-ever collegiate start, while Arthur Smith stopped all seven shots he faced for the Tigers over the final 25 minutes in relief of starter Ethan Pearson (17 saves). Princeton outshot SHU, 34-27, on the night, while the Pioneers won 36 of 64 faceoffs total. The two schools combined to go 0-for-5 on the power play, with Princeton squandering three extra man opportunities, including a five-minute major man advantage.

Both teams are now off until Dec. 30, when Princeton hosts Ivy League foe Harvard and SHU entertains Hockey East's New Hampshire.