Topatigh OT Goal Leads No. 18 Princeton Past No. 12 Union

Friday, November 9

Princeton, N.J.

7:00 PM

Princeton University

2-1-1, 2-0-1

Union

6-3-1, 2-3-0

OT 1

Union College

Princeton

Princeton celebrates after Derek Topatigh's OT goal against Union.

Photo by: Shelley M. Szwast

Topatigh OT Goal Leads No. 18 Princeton Past No. 12 Union

November 09, 2018 | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

Derek Topatigh needed more than 60 minutes to keep his goal-scoring streak alive, and that proved to be perfect timing for the Princeton men's hockey team.

Topatigh scored 1:27 into overtime to give No. 18 Princeton a 4-3 win over No. 12 Union in the home opener for the 2018 ECAC champs. The Tigers are now 2-1-1 on the young season, including 2-0-1 in the ECAC, while Union fell to 6-3-1, 2-3-0.

The win was Princeton's first over Union in the regular season in almost exactly 10 years, dating back to Nov. 15, 2008. Princeton did sweep Union on the road last year in the ECAC quarterfinals.

The winning goal gave Topatigh one in each of his last three games after the junior defenseman had two all of last year. It came after Jackson Cressey kept the play alive to Jake Paganelli at the blue line, who slid the puck across to the opposite side, where Topatigh drilled it into the goal.

TIGERS WIN - Derek Topatigh with the blast to win it for Princeton 4-3, 1:27 into the overtime. pic.twitter.com/kSxpH45Ez5
— Princeton University Hockey (@princetonhockey) November 10, 2018

Princeton scored first just 2:10 into the game on a goal by Alex Riche, from Jackson Cressey and Ryan Kuffner, but Union would score twice to lead at the end of the first. The only goal of the second period was a familiar one these days, as Ryan Kuffner scored from Max Veronneau, and it was 2-2 in goals and 22-22 in shots on goal after 40 minutes.

Christian O'Neill tipped in a shot from Cressey with midway through the this period, putting Princeton ahead 3-2, only to see Union's Liam Morgan tie it once again to force the OT.

Ryan Ferland made 36 saves for Princeton, of which 14 came in the first period and 16 came in the third.

The Tigers host RPI Saturday night at 7.