Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Bentley
Men's Hockey Defeats Bentley 4-2
January 25, 2005 | Men's Ice Hockey
Jan. 25, 2005
Box Score | Photo Gallery
Princeton, N.J. - The Princeton men's hockey team posted a 4-2 win over Bentley Tuesday night to win its final non-league game of the season. The game was Princeton's first in 16 days and it took a few periods for the rust to wear off before taking control of the game in the third period. Sophomore Kevin Westgarth had a goal and an assist in the game to pace the Princeton offense while sophomore B.J. Sklapsky made 26 saves in goal.
Princeton opened the scoring late in the first period after an even 18 minutes of play. On the power play, senior Neil Stevenson-Moore carried the puck behind the Bentley net and fed freshman Mike Moore as he snuck in from the point. Bentley goaltender Simon St. Pierre made the save on Moore's shot but Westgarth found the rebound for his fourth goal of the season. Bentley outshot the Tigers 7-6 in the period but were unable to solve Sklapsky as the period ended with Princeton holding a 1-0 lead. Bentley knotted the game at one apiece 6:08 into the second when Bryan Goodwin scored his first of the night off a rebound on a Falcon odd-man rush. Jake Plattner and Josh Thompson assisted on the goal. The game remained tied for just over 10 minutes when the Tigers took a 2-1 lead.
After a big check in the neutral zone, the Tigers gained possession of the puck. Westgarth carried it into the neutral zone and was hit but managed to feed the puck to junior Seamus Young. Young then found junior Sebastian Borza who picked the corner as St. Pierre slid through the crease. It was Borza's fourth goal of the season. It was Young's first assist of the night in his first game back since an injury in the Dec. 28 game at Massachusetts.
Princeton outshot Bentley 12-9 in the second period and took the one-goal lead into the third period.
Princeton made it 3-1 2:45 into the period when junior Ian McNally sprung freshman Erik Pridham on a breakaway. Pridham went in alone and beat St. Pierre with a snap shot on the near side. Young also garnered an assist on the goal, which was Pridham's second of the season
The Tigers made it 4-1 when freshman Landis Stankievech scored his second of the season at 12:14 after sophomore Grant Goeckner-Zoeller fed him a pass from behind the Falcon goal. Junior Dustin Sproat also assisted on the goal to raise his team-leading point total to 27.
Goodwin added a final goal for Bentley with 1:54 remaining. Plattner fed him a breakaway pass and he entered the Tiger zone. Sklapsky made the initial save but Goodwin collected his rebound from behind the net, carried it out and banked it in off a skate in the neutral zone.
Sklapsky finished the night with 26 saves for his second win of the season. St. Pierre made 19 saves in the loss.
Princeton returns to ECAC Hockey League action this weekend when it hosts Harvard and Brown.