Princeton University
Army
Players Mentioned
Men's Hockey Wins Final Non-Conference Game, 4-1 Over Army
January 28, 2015 | Men's Ice Hockey
Box Score
PRINCETON, N.J. (1/28/15) - Four different goal scorers, with three multiple-point scorers, led the Princeton men's hockey team to a 4-1 win over Army on Wednesday at Hobey Baker Rink.
It marked the final non-conference game of the season and was Princeton's (3-14-1) first game back after a two-week break for semester exams.
Junior Jonathan Liau recorded his first career three-point game as assisted on three goals. Sophomore Ben Foster scored a goal and added an assist for his first career two-point game, while junior Michael Ambrosia collected his first goal of the season and chipped in an assist. Senior Tucker Brockett and sophomore Tommy Davis also scored.
Princeton was 2 for 4 on the power play and the penalty-killing unit was impressive, going 7 for 7.
It was Brockett that lit the lamp first, with the lone goal of the first period. The Tigers were in perfect unison on a transition power-play goal midway through the opening frame. Senior Aaron Ave had the puck in front of netminder Colton Phinney and dropped it off for Foster. Foster dished it off to Liau as he reached the neutral zone and Liau pushed the puck back in the center where Foster whipped it on goal and Brockett took advantage of the bouncing puck as he batted it past Parker Gahagen.
Ambrosia ended a personal 24-game goal scoring drought with the game-winning goal at 15:35 of the second. Line mates Kyle Rankin and Ryan Siiro assisted. Ave again was a factor in setting up the goal as he ripped a shot from the point that deflected into the corner where Siiro gained control. Rankin spun around from the other side of the goal and slotted to Ambrosia who went five hole.
Army (5-17-2) made it a one-goal game less than five minutes into the third as Joe Llaurado forced the puck in a tight space between Phinney and the right post with help on a feed from Joe Koziak.
Foster's goal at 12:14 from Liau and Ambrosia took the wind out of Army's sails and helped Princeton build on its lead. A shot by Rankin was blocked all the way back to the blue line where Matt Nelson was able to keep it in the zone. Liau and Ambrosia worked in the corner and Liau came out with it found Foster open in the opposite face off circle and fed him for the score.
Davis expanded the lead to 4-1 four minutes later with a power-play goal from the right point. Liau acted as the middle man between the two defenders Davis and Ave and with that the Tigers had scored a season-high four goals.
Phinney made 26 saves in net for the Tigers, who outshot the Black Knights 36-27. Gahagen stopped 32 shots for Army.
Both teams have a quick turnaround before league play resumes on Friday, with both hitting the road tomorrow for two-game sets.
Princeton heads to Yale for a 7 p.m., game on Friday and a 4 p.m., game at Brown on Saturday. The Tigers looks to gain some ground in the ECAC standings with just 10 games remaining in league play.