.png&width=24&type=webp)
.png&width=24&type=webp)
Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Rensselaer
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
Men's Hockey Falls To Rensselaer, 5-3
February 15, 2002 | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 15, 2002
Final Stats
PRINCETON, NJ - The Princeton men's hockey team jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 26 seconds into the game, and out shot Rensselaer 40-19, but still dropped a 5-3 decision to the Engineers on Friday night at Hobey Baker Rink. The loss drops the Tigers to 7-16-1, 6-10-1 in the ECAC. Rensselaer moves to 13-10-4, 7-7-3 in the conference.
"We have been in desperation mode for the last weekend or so," said Princeton head coach Len Quesnelle. "I think we played well. I told the guys that you can't get too high and you can't get too low. We played hard tonight and we just don't have anything to show for it."
Princeton got on the board with its quickest goal of the season, just 26 seconds after the first puck was dropped with Josh Roberts' (Sr., Orleans, MA) scored his second goal of the season. The play got started with a shot by Luc Paquin (Fr., Le Gardeur, QUE) from the right circle. The rebound went to Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer (So., Manlius, NY) but his shot was also stopped by Rensselaer netminder Nathan Marsters. Roberts was able to get his stick on the puck and get it past Marsters to give the Tigers the early 1-0 lead. Rensselaer did not waste much time tying the game at 1-1. Matt Murley had the puck behind the net and fed it to Marc Cavosie who was waiting in front of the net. Cavosie was able to fire it point blank and beat Stathos to the glove side at 3:44.
The Engineers took the lead at 10:55 when they were able to capitalize on a Princeton turnover at its own blueline. Andrew McPherson took the puck and fed Conrad Barnes who was skating towards the net. Barnes's shot beat Stathos through the five-hole for a 2-1 lead, which held into the first intermission.
"Rensselaer is a very opportunistic team," said Quesnelle. You give them a chance and they are going to take advantage of that. We had the puck in our own zone and with a quick turnover it was in the back of our net."
Rensselaer added to that lead with a goal by Jim Henkel at 4:39 of the second period. Chris Migliore assisted on the only score of the second period.
Princeton was outshot 12-8 in the opening period. The tides turned in the second as it held a 17-4 edge but could not solve Marsters, who finished the period with 17 saves.
Neil Stevenson-Moore (Fr., North Vancouver, BC) cut the lead to 4-2 at 3:20 of the third period. Ryan Kraliz (Sr., Welland, ONT) sent the pass from the left circle across the ice to Stevenson-Moore, who was waiting on the right side of the net for his fourth goal of the season.
The Engineers answered with a goal from Matt Murley at 9:13 of the final period. Nolan Graham won the face-off in the left circle and Murley collected the puck and scored for a 5-2 Rensselaer lead.
Brad Parsons' (Sr., Kingston, MA) power play goal at 15:11 of the third period cut the lead to 5-3. George Parros (Jr., Randolph, N.J.) and David Schneider (Sr., Melrose Park, IL) assisted on the goal.
Princeton pulled Nate Nomeland (Jr., Fargo, ND), who replaced Dave Stathos (Sr., Longueuil, QUE) at 9:13 of the third period, in favor of and extra skater with 46 seconds and Rensselaer was almost able to capitalize on the open net. The puck made down the ice but clanked off the right post and the game ended with a 5-3 score.
Marsters turned in great performance, finishing the game with 37 saves, including 17 in the second period. Stathos played the first 49:13 in net, finishing with 13 saves. Nomeland closed out the game in net and made one save.
Princeton will play three out of its last five games at home. The Tigers host Union on Saturday, Feb. 16 before traveling to Dartmouth and Vermont on Feb. 22-23. Princeton will close out the regular season by hosting Harvard and Brown on March 1-2. All games are scheduled for 7 p.m.