.png&width=24&type=webp)
.png&width=24&type=webp)
Princeton University Athletics
Power Supply
November 29, 2001 | Men's Ice Hockey
There is no question as to who will be counted on the most to provide the power on Princeton's power play. Senior Brad Parsons was one of the top scorers in the league last winter with the man advantage. He is hoping to continue with his success on the power play while skating on Princeton's top line this season.
"The power play is my favorite thing to be a part of on the ice," says Parsons. "I love having possession of the puck when we have the man advantage. The power play is very important in the ECAC. That's where a lot of games are won and lost."
Parsons scored 14 goals last year to go along with his 10 assists. Half of his goals came on the power play with many resulting in two points for Princeton in the standings. Parsons was hoping to pick up right where he left off last season, but an injury on opening night has kept him sidelined the last seven games (prior to the Nov. 27 Northeastern game). Parsons will be counted on for more than just power-play goals this season, however. The Tigers have 11 freshmen and sophomores in their lineup, and graduation losses have taken away several of Princeton's leaders in the locker room. Parsons knows he has a responsibility as a senior and a top scorer to provide leadership for some of his younger teammates.
"I wanted to be a leader coming into this year," says Parsons. "The coaches expect that from me as well as all of the other seniors. I take a lot of pride in it, and it's one of the things I've been trying to do since the start of the season."
Parsons has been an important part of the Tigers' attack from the moment he stepped onto the ice as a freshman. He led all Princeton freshmen in scoring during the 1998-99 campaign with three goals and four assists. One of Parsons' goals came in his first playoff game against Cornell. His numbers and ice time increased his sophomore season as he finished with 11 goals and 10 assists. Seven of his goals came with the man advantage, and the Princeton coaching staff learned they had a power-play specialist in Parsons.
"I was surprised at the beginning of my freshman year," Parsons says. "I didn't know what to expect playing on the college level. But I felt comfortable after I got a few games under my belt, and the seniors really took me under their wings and helped me out. I got tremendous support from them. My freshman year was a great experience."
It is no surprise that Parsons was able to make an immediate impact at Princeton. He played hockey for four years at Thayer Academy in Massachusetts. It is one of the top hockey schools in the country that produces a host of Division I players on a regular basis.
"Thayer Academy was a real hockey factory when I played there," says Parsons. "They were one of the top teams in prep school hockey when I came in. I played with six other guys that went on to play hockey on the Division I level. You can't help but get better playing with them night in and night out."
Parsons had the opportunity to go to almost any college he wanted. Another Ivy League school made a strong pitch to Parsons, but the Kingston, Mass., native elected to come to Old Nassau.
"I had narrowed it down to Princeton and Harvard," Parsons recalls. "I took a visit to both campuses right before I had to decide. I realized my Princeton experience would be so much better. The players and coaches gave me extra time to decide, and I knew as soon as I came home that I was going to go to Princeton."
It was a bittersweet season for Parsons and the Tigers last fall. Princeton bounced back from a mid-season slump to finish seventh in the ECAC. The Tigers gave heavily favored Cornell all it could handle before dropping a pair of one-goal decisions in the postseason.
"We set some goals for our team for the last five or six games" of the regular season, says Parsons. "We accomplished all of those goals and played really well down the stretch. Even though we lost to Cornell in the playoffs, we still played well against a tough team in a tough place to play."
Parsons is hoping to get back in the lineup in the near future. He is planning to continue to play hockey when his days are done at Princeton. Former Tigers Jeff Halpern '99 and Chris Corrinet '01 are currently skating for the Washington Capitals, and the Caps are now keeping an eye on Princeton's power-play specialist.
"I went down to the Capitals' prospect camp this summer," Parsons says. "It was a great experience for me. I'd like to go somewhere after the season. Playing professionally has always been a dream of mine."
- by Ed Benkin