Princeton University Athletics
Saturday, February 25
7:00 PM
Princeton University
13-13-3, 8-11-3
4
vs
1
Yale
11-12-5, 7-10-4
1
2
3
F
Yale
1
0
0
1
Princeton
2
0
2
4
Team Stats
YALE
PRINM
Shots
37
36
PPG
1
0
SHG
0
0
Penalties
3
5
Penalty Mins
6
10
Faceoffs Won
31
27
Game Leaders
+/-
+2
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
1
+/-
+1
Goals
1
Sh
6
A
0
+/-
+1
Goals
1
Sh
5
A
0
+/-
+1
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
/ Men's Ice Hockey
G
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
/ Men's Ice HockeyPhoto by: Princeton Athletic Communications
Phinney, Princeton Knock Off Yale To Earn ECAC Home Ice
February 25, 2017 | Men's Ice Hockey
The regular season had ended moments earlier, and the Princeton men's hockey team had just gone through the hand shake line. All that was left was to gather at center ice to salute the fans.
This time, the message wasn't "thanks for a great season." Nope, not on this night. For the 2016-17 Tigers, the sound of sticks hitting ice seemed to scream out only one thing:
"See you next weekend."
Colton Phinney made 36 saves and four different players scored once each as Princeton defeated Yale 4-1 Saturday night at Hobey Baker Rink. And speaking of Baker Rink, Princeton will be right back on its home ice next weekend for the start of the ECAC playoffs.
The preseason pick to finish 12th and last in the ECAC and off to an 0-5-1 start in the league, Princeton turned its entire season around with a remarkable comeback, one that saw Princeton rise all the way to seventh in the league. As a result, it will be Princeton to host Colgate this coming Friday, Saturday and if necessary Sunday in the ECAC opening round.
"The past few years we haven't had this opportunity, so it's been a fun ride," senior captain Ryan Siiro said. "It was an attainable goal, and pretty much the only goal we set out at the start of the year. With the start we had and coming back to .500 shows a lot of grit and it's just a great opportunity for us."
Princeton came into the game against Yale knowing it could finish anywhere from seventh to 10th in a league where the top eight teams would get a home playoff series, with the top four to receive a bye and the next four to host the first round. Princeton also knew that a win meant it would finish seventh, and no other result would matter.
Yale, its opponent Saturday, had already locked up home ice of its own, though the Bulldogs would slip to eighth should Princeton win, which is what happened.
The Tigers jumped on top quickly, going up 1-0 on Joey Fallon's goal just 3:12 in to the game. Yale tied it a little more than four minutes later when Joe Snively snuck one past Phinney, but that would be all the senior goalie would allow.
Princeton, meanwhile, regained the lead for good on an Eric Robinson goal with 5:21 left in the first, and it would stay 2-1 until the first minute of the third period, when Max Véronneau finished a perfect give-and-go with Alex Richie. David Hallisey sealed it on a goal with nine minutes left.
The win over Yale completed a weekend sweep that began with a 7-2 win over Brown Friday night. It marks the first time since 2011 that Princeton has reached double figures in goals in an ECAC weekend since 2011.
Princeton head coach Ron Fogarty credited the senior class the program's success this season. "It's a big turnaround. They had 15 wins through their first three years, and they have 13 this season. It's leadership and experience that drives the train and the seniors bought into any and every role they were put into this season and that's why were successful. We believe in each other, and the culture we've established and the seniors are a big reason for that."
Princeton went 0-1-1 against Colgate this year and is 0-7-1 in its last eight against the Raiders. Tiger head coach Ron Fogarty is a Colgate alum.
This will be the first time Princeton has hosted an ECAC first round series since 2013.
This time, the message wasn't "thanks for a great season." Nope, not on this night. For the 2016-17 Tigers, the sound of sticks hitting ice seemed to scream out only one thing:
"See you next weekend."
Colton Phinney made 36 saves and four different players scored once each as Princeton defeated Yale 4-1 Saturday night at Hobey Baker Rink. And speaking of Baker Rink, Princeton will be right back on its home ice next weekend for the start of the ECAC playoffs.
The preseason pick to finish 12th and last in the ECAC and off to an 0-5-1 start in the league, Princeton turned its entire season around with a remarkable comeback, one that saw Princeton rise all the way to seventh in the league. As a result, it will be Princeton to host Colgate this coming Friday, Saturday and if necessary Sunday in the ECAC opening round.
"The past few years we haven't had this opportunity, so it's been a fun ride," senior captain Ryan Siiro said. "It was an attainable goal, and pretty much the only goal we set out at the start of the year. With the start we had and coming back to .500 shows a lot of grit and it's just a great opportunity for us."
Princeton came into the game against Yale knowing it could finish anywhere from seventh to 10th in a league where the top eight teams would get a home playoff series, with the top four to receive a bye and the next four to host the first round. Princeton also knew that a win meant it would finish seventh, and no other result would matter.
Yale, its opponent Saturday, had already locked up home ice of its own, though the Bulldogs would slip to eighth should Princeton win, which is what happened.
The Tigers jumped on top quickly, going up 1-0 on Joey Fallon's goal just 3:12 in to the game. Yale tied it a little more than four minutes later when Joe Snively snuck one past Phinney, but that would be all the senior goalie would allow.
Princeton, meanwhile, regained the lead for good on an Eric Robinson goal with 5:21 left in the first, and it would stay 2-1 until the first minute of the third period, when Max Véronneau finished a perfect give-and-go with Alex Richie. David Hallisey sealed it on a goal with nine minutes left.
The win over Yale completed a weekend sweep that began with a 7-2 win over Brown Friday night. It marks the first time since 2011 that Princeton has reached double figures in goals in an ECAC weekend since 2011.
Princeton head coach Ron Fogarty credited the senior class the program's success this season. "It's a big turnaround. They had 15 wins through their first three years, and they have 13 this season. It's leadership and experience that drives the train and the seniors bought into any and every role they were put into this season and that's why were successful. We believe in each other, and the culture we've established and the seniors are a big reason for that."
Princeton went 0-1-1 against Colgate this year and is 0-7-1 in its last eight against the Raiders. Tiger head coach Ron Fogarty is a Colgate alum.
This will be the first time Princeton has hosted an ECAC first round series since 2013.
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