Princeton University
Colgate
Fresh Start
November 30, 2001 | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 30, 2001
PRINCETON, N.J. - A pair of freshmen, James Fitzpatrick (Lawrenceville, N.J.) and Neil Stevenson-Moore (North Vancouver, B.C.), scored goals as Princeton defeated Colgate 2-1 in an ECAC men's hockey game Friday night at Hobey Baker Rink.
With the game tied 1-1 midway through the third period, Fitzpatrick stuff a shot past Colgate goaltender David Cann while the Tigers were on the power play. The goal at 11:33 of third snapped Princeton's 0 for 23 drought with the man advantage.
Senior goalie Dave Stathos (Longueuil, Que.) was the game's No. 1 star as he turned aside 33 Colgate shots, including 16 in a hectic third period.
"It was nice to see two goals from freshmen," Princeton coach Len Quesnelle said, "and Stats had a great game in goal. Our defense did a good job of clearing people out from in front of the net." The victory boosts Princeton's ECAC record to 3-4 as the No. 9-ranked Cornell Big Red visit Hobey Baker Rink Saturday night.
Stathos kept the Tigers in the game early, stopping all 11 first-period shots, as Princeton managed just four, the first coming at 5:16 when Dan Hursh (Calgary, Alberta) was stopped on breakaway.
"I had a few shots off rushes," Stathos said, "but they couldn't establish themselves in our zone." Princeton held Colgate to just six shots in the second period.
Quesnelle altered three of his four forward lines to accommodate the return of last year's leading scorer, Brad Parsons (Kingston, Mass.), who missed the previous eight games with an injury, and the loss of injured Josh Roberts (Orleans, Mass.).
The only line that didn't change was the all-freshman Sunshine Line of Stevenson-Moore, Fitzpatrick and Mike Patton (Mechanicsburg, Pa.). That line connected for the first goal of the game.
Captain David Schneider (Melrose Park, Ill.) slid a soft pass to Stevenson-Moore in Princeton zone. The freshman skated up the left-wing boards and blasted a slap shot from left face-off circle off the near post and past Cann at 8:29 of the second period to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. Patton also picked up an assist on Stevenson-Moore's third goal of the season.
Stathos' bid for his first collegiate shutout was spoiled at 7:28 of the third period. He stopped Brad D'Arco's shot from the left wing, but Scooter Smith pounced on the rebound that was left in the crease to tie the game 1-1.
Slightly more than four minutes later, Fitzpatrick picked up his second goal of the season to give Princeton a one-goal victory.
"We were working hard in the first period," Schneider said, "but we didn't have our heads in the game."
Princeton put together a solid effort after the opening 20 minutes, despite allowing 16 shots in the third.
With Steve Slaton (Plymouth, Minn.) in the box for interference, David Del Monte (Mississauga, Ont.) was called for unsportsmanlike conduct at 13:04 of the third period, but the Tigers managed to kill off 48 seconds of a Raiders two-man advantage.
Stathos stopped Rob Brown's shot and then made a glove save on P.J. Yedon's round attempt from just outside the crease. Scott Prime's (Moncton, New Brunswick) speed was instrumental in negating the five-on-three advantage as he played the top of the triangle on the penalty-killing unit to help preserve Princeton's third home-ice victory.
Both teams hit iron in the first period. Smith tipped a shot that deflected off Stathos and the crossbar just 1:30 into the game. Seven minutes later Patton hit the post to the left of Cann from the right hash mark.
Princeton had its first sustained offense early in the second period. Cann turned aside Prime's shot from in close, and George Parros (Randolph, N.J.) followed with a wrist shot that just missed the top corner.
The power play showed signs of life with the return of Parsons, who was switched to left wing from his natural center position. Schneider and Del Monte had two good power-play opportunities that Cann denied.
Princeton is 3-7 overall and 3-4 in the ECAC, Colgate is 3-9 and 2-3 in the conference.
Tiger Tidbits
Princeton has won 17 of the past 22 games against Colgate.
Three stars: 1. Dave Stathos (P), 2. James Fitzpatrick (P), 3. Neil Stevenson-Moore (P).
Brad Parsons played left wing on a line with Scott Prime and George Parros.
All three Princeton wins this year are by one goal.
Before James Fitzpatrick's power-play goal, Princeton last goal with the man advantage was Nov. 17 against Vermont when Neil Stevenson-Moore scored.
Power plays: Princeton 1/5, Colgate 0/6.
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