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Princeton University Athletics
Men's Hockey Hosts Quinnipiac on Tuesday Night
November 21, 2005 | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 21, 2005
Princeton, N.J. - The Princeton men's hockey team returns to Baker Rink on Tuesday night to host ECAC Hockey League-newcomer Quinnpiac at 7 p.m. The game is the front end of a home-and-home series between the teams that concludes on Saturday in Connecticut. The Tigers currently sit two points behind the Bobcats in the league standings.
Face-off on Tuesday night is scheduled for 7 p.m., and will be broadcast live on GoPrincetonTigers.com beginning at approximately 6:50 p.m. Livestats will be available as well. Links to the broadcast and Gametracker can be found on the men's hockey schedule page.
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This Week's Storylines
Back at Home
Princeton returns to Baker Rink for one of two scheduled midweek games. The Tigers host their new travel-partner Quinnipiac as the team's begin a home-and-home series that finishes on Saturday afternoon.
Last Weekend
The Tigers dropped a pair of one-goal games on their league trip to the North Country of New York. On Friday the Tigers fell in overtime at Clarkson 4-3, while on Saturday St. Lawrence rallied for a 3-2 win.
Road Warriors
Princeton started the season with six of eight games on the road, and following tonight's home game, plays its next three on the road before home games on Dec. 9-10. The Tigers finish the season with eight of 13 games at home.
The Series With Quinnipiac
Quinnipiac is one three opponents on Princeton's 2005-06 schedule that the Tigers have never faced before. The Bobcats joined the ECACHL last summer after Vermont left the league to join Hockey East.
Howdy Partner
With Quinnipiac's entrance into the ECACHL, the travel partner pairings were adjusted and a result, Princeton and Quinnipiac are now travel partners. Last year Princeton and Yale traveled together. Before that the Tigers were paired with Army.
Familiar Timing
While tonight and Saturday mark Princeton's first two meetings with Quinnipiac, the games mark the seventh-straight year that Princeton will host its travel-partner on the Tuesday preceding Thanksgiving and then visit it on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Scouting the Bobcats
Quinnipiac is 8-6 overall and 2-4 in the ECACHL. After starting 0-2, the Bobcats won eight-straight games, including league wins over Harvard and Dartmouth, but have since dropped their last four games. Like Princeton, Quinnipiac enters this weekend off a pair of one-goal losses in the North Country.
Last Year
Although Princeton and Quinnipiac have never played before, the Tigers did have a Tuesday-Saturday series with its travel partner last season. In those games, Princeton defeated Yale 6-3 at home and lost to Yale 7-1 in New Haven.
Speaking of New Haven
Saturday's game against Quinnipiac will be played at Yale's Ingalls Rink at 7 p.m. Six of Quinnipiac's home league games will be played at Yale.
Midweek Games
Tonight's game is the first of two midweek games for Princeton. The Tigers have won five-straight midweek games dating, all coming in the last two seasons. The run includes wins over Yale (2), Harvard, Bentley and American International.
Number 135
Quinnipiac becomes the 135th different opponent for the Princeton men's hockey team. The Bobcats are one of four potential first-time opponents for the Tigers this season. The first was Waterloo, which Princeton defeated in exhibition play, and the Tigers also have a game scheduled against Robert Morris. Princeton also could face Ferris State at the Denver Cup.
Who is Left?
Princeton has faced 48 of the 58 possible Division I men's hockey opponents. Princeton has not faced Canisius, Connecticut, Ferris State, Mercyhurst, Minnesota State, Northern Michigan, Quinnipiac, RIT, Robert Morris and Sacred Heart.
Back to Last Week
Princeton has only earned one point in the North Country dating back to the 2000-01 season. Princeton's last four regular season games up north have all been close, including a one-goal loss and a tie in 2004-05 and two one-goal losses this season.
Goal Scoring
Junior Grant Goeckner-Zoeller scored a goal in each game last weekend and now has five goals this season. In his first two years, Goeckner-Zoeller had four times more assists than goals, but this season, he has yet to record an assist. Goeckner-Zoeller's goal on Friday night at Clarkson came on a penalty shot.
Early Contributions
Freshman Brett Wilson scored in Friday's game at Clarkson and had an assist on Saturday at St. Lawrence. After missing the first four games of the season with an injury, the freshman has notched a point in every game that he has played in since, posting two goals and two assists.
Welcome Back
Junior Brett Westgarth scored Princeton's first goal on Saturday against St. Lawrence. Westgarth, who took last season off, has three points in eight games this season after only having two points in his previous two seasons at Princeton.
Also Scoring
In addition to goals by Goeckner-Zoeller and Wilson on Friday night, senior Brian Carthas tallied his first goal of the season at Clarkson. Sophomore Kyle Hagel and junior Kevin Westgarth added assists in the game. For Westgarth, it was his team-leading fifth point of the season. Junior Darroll Powe and freshman Lee Jubinville added assists in Saturday's games on the goals scored by Goeckner-Zoeller and Brett Westgarth.
Balanced Effort
Princeton's 17 goals this season have come from 11 scorers, led by Goeckner-Zoeller's five. Wilson and senior Patrick Neundorfer each have two. The other eight have scored once. Fourteen Tigers have tallied assists this season.
Topping the Charts
Kevin Westgarth's assist at Clarkson was his fifth point and gave him the team-lead in points for a night, until Grant Goeckner-Zoeller scored to tie him at St. Lawrence. Brett Wilson has four points.
Opponent Scoring
Princeton's opponents scored a single goal in all seven periods played last weekend.
Defense First
Princeton has held its opponents to three goals or less, not counting empty-net goals, in six of eight games. Princeton has held an opponent to two or less goals in four games.
Century Mark
Senior captain Patrick Neundorfer should play in his 100th game for the Tigers on Saturday at Quinnipiac.
On the Tube
At least four of the Tigers' remaining games in the 2005-06 season will be broadcast on television. The next TV game will be against Quinnipiac on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and will air live on NESN (Directv Channel 623), while both of Princeton's games at the Denver Cup on Dec. 30 and 31 will be on FSN Rocky Mountain. Lastly, Princeton's game at Dartmouth on Feb. 11 will be live on ESPNU. NESN, FSN-RM and ESPNU are all available on Directv. Additional Patriot games may be added as the season continues.
Polling Station
Princeton was picked to finish 10th by both the coaches and the media in the ECACHL preseason polls. Quinnipiac was chosen 12th in both polls.
On the Horizon
After visiting Quinnipiac on Saturday, the Tigers are on the road on Dec. 2 and 3 in Central New York to meet Cornell and Colgate.