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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
After Three Weeks Off, Men's Hockey Returns to Action This Weekend
December 27, 2006 | Men's Ice Hockey
Game 15 - Nebraska-Omaha at Princeton
GAMETIME: Friday, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m.
SITE: Hobey Baker Rink (Princeton, N.J.)
RECORDS: Princeton (5-7-1, 4-5-1 ECACHL); Nebraska-Omaha (8-7-4, 5-6-1 CCHA)
SERIES RECORD: Princeton leads 2-0-0, first meeting in Princeton.
LAST MEETING: Princeton won 5-3 at Omaha on Nov. 1, 1997.
STREAK: Princeton won two games.
GAME NOTES: Click here for PDF.
TELEVISION: Patriot 8 in Princeton area on Tape Delay. Will air 12/31 at 9 p.m., 1/3 at 9 p.m. and 1/4 at 9 p.m.
LIVESTATS: Click here.
LIVE AUDIO: Click here.
LIVE VIDEO: Click here for Tigerzone.
Game 16 - Minnesota State at Princeton
GAMETIME: Saturday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m.
SITE: Hobey Baker Rink (Princeton, N.J.)
RECORDS: Princeton (5-7-1, 4-5-1 ECACHL); Minnesota State (5-11-3, 4-8-2 WCHA)
SERIES RECORD: First Meeting.
GAME NOTES: Click here for PDF. (Available Saturday afternoon)
LIVESTATS: Click here.
LIVE AUDIO: Click here.
LIVE VIDEO: Click here for Tigerzone.
This Week's Storylines
Home for the Holidays
The Princeton men's hockey team returns to action this weekend for its first games in three weeks as it hosts Nebraska-Omaha and Minnesota State in non-league action. Princeton has not played a late December game at home since the 2001-02 season when it hosted a series with Notre Dame. Princeton played in holiday tournaments at Rensselaer, Minnesota and Denver in the seasons since.
Last Time Out
Princeton entered its break for the holidays with a sweep of Union and Rensselaer at home. The games moved Princeton to 4-1 in its last five games, its best five-game stretch of the season.
On a Roll
With the Tigers sweep of Union and Rensselaer, Princeton earned its first weekend sweep of the season. The Tigers picked up a win and a tie in their previous league weekend at Dartmouth and Harvard and have earned seven of a possible eight points in the last two league weekends.
Exorcise the Demons
Princeton's overtime win against Union was the Tigers first overtime win in its last 27 trips to an extra session. After defeating Yale 2-1 on Matt Maglione's overtime goal on Nov. 20, 2001, Princeton went 27 games and more than five years before sophomore Brandan Kushniruk scored an overtime game winner on Dec. 8. Princeton was 0-14-13 in the 27-game span.
Breathing Room
Princeton's 6-2 win over Rensselaer the last time it played marked the first game the Tigers have played this season with a margin of victory of more than two goals.
Speaking of 6
Princeton last reached six goals in a game last season against Quinnipiac on Nov. 26. Six goals is the highest Princeton has scored in a game since the 2000-01 season when the Tigers scored seven in a win at Union. Princeton has scored six goals a total of five times in the last three seasons.
Too Close for Comfort
Despite the 6-2 win over Rensselaer, Princeton has played a majority of tight games this season.
dating back to last year, 17 of Princeton's last 20 games have been decided by a goal or ended in a tie, including 10 of 14 games this season. Princeton is 3-10-4 in those 17 games. Nine of those games have gone to overtime and Princeton is 1-5-3 in those games including its win over Union three weeks ago.
Home Stretch
This weekend's games are part of a five-game homestand for the Tigers that continues next weekend. Princeton is in the midst of playing eight of nine games at home after playing mostly on the road in the first part of the season.
Mavericks x 2 (The Opponents)
The Series With Nebraska-Omaha
Princeton and Nebraska-Omaha met at the start of the 1997-98 season when the Tigers flew to Omaha and took both ends of a two-game series from the Mavericks. The games were just the third and fourth games ever played by UNO, which was competing in its first season and had not yet joined its current league, the CCHA. Princeton won the opener 5-2 and the second game 5-3.
Scouting the UNO Mavericks
A 2005 NCAA tournament participant, Nebraska-Omaha is currently 8-7-4 overall and 5-6-1 in CCHA play. The Mavericks last played Dec. 8-9 when they swept Bentley in a two-game series at home. Nebraska-Omaha enters the weekend winners of five straight games, including a win over now fourth-ranked Notre Dame. Bentley is the only common opponent shared between Princeton and UNO. The Mavericks swept Bentley while Princeton tied and was beaten by the Falcons.
Princeton vs. the CCHA
Princeton is 8-22-1 all-time against the CCHA and 2-6 against CCHA opponents on the ice of Baker Rink. Princeton last played a CCHA opponent last season when it split a series at Notre Dame. The Tigers last hosted a CCHA team in December of 2001 when Notre Dame swept a two game-series from Princeton, winning one game at Baker Rink and one game at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton.
UNO vs. the ECACHL
Nebraska-Omaha is 6-6-1 all-time against the ECAC Hockey League and is 2-0-0 in ECACHL road games, sweeping a series at Colgate in the 2001-02 season. UNO is 3-6-1 against the ECAC at home and 1-0 against the league at neutral sites.
The Series With Minnesota State
Princeton and Minnesota State will meet for the first time on Sat. Dec. 30.
Scouting the MSU Mavericks
Minnesota State is 5-11-3 overall and 4-8-2 in the WCHA entering the series and has played the nation's most difficult schedule. MSU last skated on Dec. 15 and 16 when it swept a pair of games at home from Minnesota-Duluth for a WCHA series. Princeton and Minnesota State do not share any common opponents.
Princeton vs. the WCHA
Princeton is 5-24 all-time against the WCHA and 1-3 against WCHA opponents at Baker Rink. Princeton won its last game against a WCHA opponent when it defeated Denver 4-1 last season at the Denver Cup. The win snapped a seven-game losing skid to WCHA teams. The Tigers last hosted a WCHA team at the beginning of the 2004-05 season when St. Cloud State visited Baker Rink and won 7-2.
MSU vs. the ECACHL
Minnesota State is 4-8-2 all-time against the ECAC Hockey League and is 2-4-0 in ECACHL road games, winning at Clarkson and Vermont. MSU is 2-3-2 against the ECAC at home and 0-1 against the league at neutral sites. That game was a 5-2 loss to Cornell in the 2003 NCAA tournament.
Who is Left?
Minnesota State will become the 51st of the possible 58 NCAA Division I opponents that Princeton will face when the teams meet. Last season Princeton faced two new opponents in Quinnipiac and Robert Morris. Princeton has not faced Canisius, Connecticut, Ferris State, Mercyhurst, Minnesota State, Northern Michigan, RIT, and Sacred Heart.
Non-League Schedule Update
Princeton is 1-2-1 in non-league play this season as the Tigers opened the year with a tie and loss to Bentley and split with Alabama-Huntsville last weekend. Last season Princeton was 3-4-0 in non-league play, defeating UAH, Notre Dame and Denver.
Team Notes
Back on Track at Home
Princeton swept its home series with Union and Rensselaer after going winless in its first three home games of the season. Princeton closed last season by going 4-1-1 in its final six home games.
At Home and On the Road
Princeton is 3-4-2 in games away from Baker Rink this season and 2-3-0 in games at Baker Rink.
Special Teams
Twenty-four of Princeton's 46 goals this season have come on special teams. Last weekend the Tigers scored three goals on the power play and one shorthanded. The Tigers have 21 power-play goals and three shorthanded goals this season.
On the Power Play
Operating at a 20% efficiency, Princeton's power-play currently ranks second in the ECACHL, behind on Clarkson, and 15th in the nation.
With a Two Man Advantage
Princeton converted on its first 5-on-3 power play in the Rensselaer win. The Tigers had been held goalless in nine previous chances, but had allowed five two-man advantage goals. Princeton is 1-10 in 5-on-3s while opponents are 5-for-10 against Princeton.
Lots of Shots
Princeton outshot Rensselaer its last time out, making it 12 of 14 games this season that the Tigers have garnered more shots than their opponent. Last season Princeton outshot its opponents in 13 of 31 games. Princeton has been outshot once and shots have been even once.
Scoring Consistency
Princeton is one of four teams in the nation to score at least two goals in every game played this season, joining Cornell, Maine and New Hampshire. Princeton is also one of four teams in the nation to have at least two goals scored against it in every game this season, joining Mercyhurst, Minnesota State and Robert Morris.
Staying Out of the Box
Princeton is the fourth-least penalized team in the nation, averaging 13.4 penalty minutes per game and the least penalized team in the ECAC Hockey League. Princeton is averaging two penalties less per game this season than last. Here is a list of the five least penalized teams in the nation.
55. Princeton 13.4
57. Massachusetts 11.7
58. St. Cloud State 11.2
59. UMass-Lowell 10.2
Spreading the Puck Around
Princeton has received points this season from 19 of its 24 skaters. Sixteen different players have scored goals and 15 players have tallied assists. Every player that has appeared in at least half the games has recorded a point.
Immediate Impact
Princeton's freshman class has had an immediate impact. Seven of the nine skaters have recorded a point and six of those have scored goals.
Backline Contributions
Four of Princeton's six defensemen in the Rensselaer win tallied points.
Scoring More…
Princeton has scored 81 goals in each of the past two seasons. Last season the Tigers did it despite the graduation of two of its top-three scorers from the previous season. That number is 19 more than the total of 62 that Princeton scored in 31 games two seasons ago. Princeton is on pace to score 102 goals in 31 games this year.
Polling Station
Princeton was picked to finish 10th by both the coaches and the media in the ECACHL preseason polls for the second straight season. The Tigers finished ninth in the ECAC Hockey League standings a season ago.
Shorthanded Goals
Princeton has tallied three shorthanded goals this season, the most recent coming against Rensselaer. Princeton was held without a shorthanded goal last season.
Individual Notes
Jub-ilant
Sophomore Lee Jubinville has recorded six points in his last four games, including three in the Rensselaer win. He assisted on the game winner against Union and scored the deciding goal against RPI. Jubinville has tallied points in 10 of 13 games this season and ranks third overall in conference scoring. Jubinville was an ECACHL Honor Roll selection on Dec. 11 and was named the New England Hockey Journal's ECACHL Player of the Week the same day.
Cranking up the Powe-r
Senior Darroll Powe continues to lead Princeton in scoring following a three-point performance in the Union-Rensselaer weekend. Hard work in the corner helped set up the overtime game winner and he scored twice the following day at Rensselaer. Powe has points in 11 of 14 games this season.
Closing in on 100
Senior Grant Goeckner-Zoeller picked up his first multiple-point game of the season against Union as he scored Princeton's first goal and had assists on the next two. Goeckner-Zoeller, who has points in 10 of 13 games this season sits seven points away from reaching the 100-point mark for his career.
First Freshman
Freshman Mark Magnowski added a goal and an assist in Princeton's win over Rensselaer for his third multiple-point game of the 2006-07 season. He leads all Princeton freshman in scoring with 10 points.
Scoring Big Goals
Sophomore Brandan Kushniruk has scored three goals in his last six games. The first started Princeton's comeback in a tie at Dartmouth and the second and third were game winners at Alabama-Huntsville and in overtime against Union.
More from Moore
After going 45 games between goals, junior Mike Moore wasted no time in getting his second of the season as he scored in Princeton's win over Union for his second goal in as many games. Moore also added an assist in the Rensselaer win.
The Hottest Hand
Senior Max Cousins has garnered nine points in his last six games, one point more than he had totalled in his first 55 games he played in his career. Cousins has three multiple-point games in that span, including a three-assist night in the win over Rensselaer.
Minding the Goal
Freshman goaltender Zane Kalemba lowered his goals-against average to 2.55 with his two wins in the Union-Rensselaer weekend. Now with a 5-4-1 record, Kalemba is 4-1-1 in his last six games.
Odd & Ends
Around the ECACHL
Eleven of the 12 ECACHL teams are in acton this weekend, with only Quinnipiac taking the weekend off.
On the Horizon
Princeton returns to the ice of Baker Rink next weekend for an exhibition game on Friday night against the U.S. National Under-18 team, the hosts travel-partner Quinnipiac on Saturday night. That game will air live on NESN.