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Princeton University Athletics
Men's Hockey 2005-06 Outlook
October 25, 2005 | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 25, 2005
Princeton, N.J. - The 2004-05 season was the beginning of a new era for the Princeton men's hockey program. In its first year under head coach Guy Gadowsky, playing in a new system, the Tigers brought exciting hockey back to Baker Rink and began a turnaround after a few disappointing seasons.
The Tigers matched their win total of the previous two seasons thanks to an outstanding offense. Princeton scored more goals than it had in each of the previous four seasons, and 17 Princeton players set or tied their career highs for points in a season.
FORWARDS (Returning - 11, Lost - 2, Newcomers - 4)
With the arrival of head coach Guy Gadowsky prior to last season, it was proclaimed the Princeton would not be winning many games by scores of 1-0, and that the winning would come by scoring goals. In just one season of playing under Gadowsky's aggressive, but disciplined style, the Tigers saw a 30% increase in goal production, scoring 81 times, compared to the 62 goals scored in each of the previous two seasons.
Unfortunately for Princeton, 23 of those goals are no longer with the team, with the losses of Dustin Sproat and Neil Stevenson-Moore. Sproat had a breakout 2004-05 season, tallying 35 points compared to the 22 he had after two seasons in Orange and Black. Stevenson-Moore also had a career-year as he posted 15 points. Both players will be competing professionally in 2005-06: Sproat in the ECHL with the Trenton Titans as he completes his senior year at Princeton, and Stevenson-Moore in England.
Leading the team offensively will be senior Patrick Neundorfer. A captain last season as a junior, Neundorfer was the heart and sole of the Tiger squad. The hardest worker on and off the ice, Neundorfer kept pace with Sproat for much of the season atop the Princeton scoring charts and scored nine goals with 13 assists for 22 points, equalling his point total from his freshman and sophomore years combined. Neundorfer also plays the role of a strong defensive forward and can take key faceoffs at both ends of the ice. Princeton's leading returning scorer is junior Grant Goeckner-Zoeller. He set a career-high with 32 points on six goals and 26 assists for the Tigers last season, giving him 52 points for his career. Looking at the numbers, it is evident that Goeckner-Zoeller is a playmaker as 41 of his 52 career points are assists. He has the best hands on the ice and is very aware of his surroundings. Senior Sebastian Borza was another of the many Tigers to set a career scoring high last season. He notched 14 points on six goals and eight assists and is very talented in the offensive zone.
Juniors Kevin Westgarth and Darroll Powe are two of the most physical presences in the Tiger lineup. Neither is a afraid to throw his body around and throw the big check, but both are strong around the net and can collect goals and points in front.
Sophomore Landis Stankievech and senior Mark Masters are Princeton's fastest skaters and will see considerable time on the penalty kill, in addition to their regular shifts. Stankievech ranked second among freshmen in scoring last season and scored one of Princeton's two shorthanded goals. Masters had a career-high of four goals a year ago.
Sophomores Keith Shattenkirk and Erik Pridham saw considerable time during their freshman seasons and both had their moments to shine, as each scored a game-winning goal on the season.
Junior Christian Read and freshman Kyle Hagel round out the returning corps of forwards. Both saw their amount of playing time grow considerably as the season progressed, as both picked up assists late in the season. Hagel transitioned from defense to forward and played a physical role on the checking line with Read.
The group will be joined by four newcomers: Will Harvey, Lee Jubinville, Brandon Kushniruk and Brett Wilson.
DEFENSEMEN (Returning - 7, Lost - 2, Newcomers - 0)
The Tigers will look to continue putting the clamps on their opponents' offense. Last season's defense allowed two fewer goals than the season before despite the more aggressive style of play, and Princeton will look to tighten its defense up even more this season. With a group of only eight defensemen, each Tiger will need to step up, as strong play in the Princeton end will result in scoring chances at the other end of the ice.
Last season, the Princeton defense was led by a pair of seniors-Luc Paquin and Jesse Masear-whose roles will need to be replaced as the 2005-06 season begins. Paquin tallied 28 points after only posting 11 in his career up to that point. He was a first-team All-ECACHL defenseman and quarterbacked the Princeton power-play. Masear's strengths were found at the opposite end of the ice as a strong and physical stay-at-home defenseman.
As the season wore on last year, sophomore Mike Moore emerged as Princeton's top defenseman, taking on new roles and logging more-and-more ice time. Moore led all Princeton freshman in scoring with 10 points, but more importantly could take the ice at any time in any situation, including the power play, even strength and the penalty kill.
Senior Seamus Young will join Moore as the leader of Princeton's defensive unit. Young also posted 10 points last season and would have likely added more, but injuries limited his playing time at two points during the season. Young is an offensive-minded defenseman who has logged a large amount of power-play time in his three years with the Tigers.
Senior Brian Carthas made the transition to defense midway through last season as the injuries depleted the Tiger defense. Because of his strength on his skates and his solid two-way play, Carthas was the natural choice to drop back to the blue line, and he fit in nicely over the second half of the season.
Junior Daryl Marcoux appeared in all but one game last season and played strong in his own zone while scoring twice during the season. Joining him and the other returning players will be juniors B.J. Mackasey, Brett Westgarth and Max Cousins.
All three have already seen action as Tigers but missed either all or most of the 2004-05 season. Mackasey missed the first weekend of the season, played three games, then went down with a season-ending injury, while Westgarth chose to take the year off from school. Mackasey is a sold two-way player who can carry the puck up ice and make plays happen, while Westgarth will be one of the Tigers' most-physical defensemen and be strong in and around the Tiger net. Cousins is a solid defenseman at both ends of the ice as well.
GOALTENDERS (Returning - 2, Lost - 1, Newcomers - 1)
In hockey it often comes down to goaltending, and Princeton has three goaltenders ready to stake their claim at the top spot. Senior Eric Leroux saw the bulk of the playing time a season ago, while junior B.J. Sklapsky was strong in a limited role. Freshman Thomas Sychterz will push the other two during his rookie campaign.
Leroux was 6-13-3 last season for Princeton with a 3.19 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. He has appeared in 60 games during three seasons for the Tigers.
Sklapsky was 2-5 last season with a 4.06 goals-against and a .869 save percentage. Sychterz has had a very successful midget and junior career in Quebec.