No. 19 Minnesota State Spoils Princeton's Run

Saturday, December 17

7:00 PM

Princeton University

MSU Mankato

Photo by: Princeton Athletic Communications

December 17, 2016 | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

Princeton had a five-game win streak come to halt on Saturday as No. 19 Minnesota State earned a 5-4 decision in Game 2 of the two-game series at Hobey Baker Rink. The Tigers won yesterday's meeting 6-1, marking their fifth win over a ranked team this season.

The Mavericks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period but the Tigers battled back and scored four in the second while Minnesota had two. The lone goal of the third period was the decisive marker, a tally by Michael Huntebrinker at 4:27 after an unfortunately turnover behind the Princeton goal.

Senior Colton Phinney made a season-high 43 saves including one on a penalty shot with less than five minutes to play.

A Princeton penalty at 16:59 pushed the game a little further out of reach for the Tigers as they had to kill it off before bringing an extra skater on for the final 46 seconds.

"They were winning every race for loose pucks and we got out-hustled in the first period," Princeton head coach Ron Fogarty said. "They put up 23 shots in the first and they were hungry. But we had a great push back in the second and then an unfortunate play that gave them the fifth goal. It was something we had total control of, it was a lapse in judgment and it went into the back of the net."

The Mavericks got on the board 54 seconds into the game. Jordan Nelson won a face off to Phinney's left and Max Coatta put a shot on frame, the rebound came back out and in a scramble Nicholas Rivera got it and jammed it home.

Marc Michaelis made it 2-0 at 8:47 when it took was able to free the puck from under Phinney and score. C.J. Franklin had the initial shot at the left post, that Phinney had underneath him but not totally pinned down.

Princeton rallied back scoring two in the first 3:04 of the second to make it 2-2. Freshman Jackson Cressey net his third goal of the season with a goal on the doorstep. Sophomore Ryan Kuffner tallied his first of two during 2x1 with linemate Max Véronneau 32 seconds later.

The Mavericks converted a power-play chance to regain the lead and then made it 4-2 with a goal from defender Daniel Brickley as he rifled a shot from the blue line past a screened Phinney at 9:13.

Kuffner scored his second of the night on a 5x3 power play at 12:04 before Josh Teves net his first of the year to tie it again at 4-4 on a 5x4 power-play chance at 15:35.

The game-winning goal was a bad giveaway as a Princeton defender chased down a loose puck but was stripped of it by Charles Gerard and pushed in front to Huntebrinker for the goal.

Princeton was 2 for 6 on the power play while MSU was 1 for 7. The Mavericks had a 48-36 advantage in shots.

Jason Pawloski stopped 32 saves in net for MSU on 37 shots. He came in on relief during yesterday's game playing 29 minutes and allowing two on 13.

"We got four goals and everything started rolling and going great, but we let them get the momentum back and that's what killed us in the end," Cressey said. "They are a good team and we knew going into the weekend it would be a good test for us. After we won the first game, we came in hoping to win this one and thought we should but unfortunately it is what it is and I think we learned a lesson here, and hopefully we'll bring that into the next half of the season and have a better spring."

"I'm happy with the first half," Fogarty said. "We were 0-6-1 at the start of the season. The guys know the systems and they've bought in. Their compete level is very good and gives us opportunities to win games. We want to make a serious push in the second half of the season. We know how to be successful and need to continue with the commitment."