Men's Ice Hockey Falls At Army In Season Opener

Saturday, October 30

West Point, N.Y.

4:00 PM

Princeton University

0-1-0

Army West Point

2-5-1

Princeton

Army West Point

Kersten celebrates goal against Colgate in Friendship Four

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

October 30, 2021 | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

For the first time in 602 days, the Princeton University men's ice hockey team skated in a game, taking on Army at West Point in a 4-1 loss to the Black Knights.

Noah de la Durantaye had the goal for the Tigers, netting his first collegiate goal just as a Tigers powerplay expired in the second period.

Enjoy It, @Noahdels.

First collegiate goal for the rookie defenseman! pic.twitter.com/rIDm5hZkD5
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) October 30, 2021

The Tigers, playing their first game since finishing off a sweep of Dartmouth in the 2020 ECAC First Round, were up against it a bit early on as Army was playing in its eighth game this season.

Daniel Haider put Army West Point in front just 3:10 into the game, taking advantage of a truly unlucky bounce. All Haider was looking to do was dump the puck in, but his knuckler kicked hard to the right just as it reached the crease and skittered by Jeremie Forget who was sliding to his right in an effort to settle the bouncing puck.

Each team had a chance to score on a Princeton penalty kill, but twice breakaways were denied. First was Ian Murphy who broke in alone shorthanded, but was denied with 6:18 to play in the first. On the ensuing transition, Jeremie Forget was up to the task as Haider broke in.

The Black Knights would add a second goal in the opening stanza at the 16:54 mark. Brett Abdelnour scored, connecting through a screen from the high slot.

Noah de la Durantaye scored his first collegiate goal midway through the middle frame, sending a wrist shot to the top corner just after a Princeton power play had expired and the teams were playing 4-on-4. Mark Paolini and Adam Robbins had the assists.

Army answered 1:47 later with a power-play goal off the stick of Eric Butte. The Tigers had killed the first part of a brief 5-on-3 thanks to a valiant blocked shot by Matt Kellenberger, but the Black Knights settled the loose puck and connected passes from Joey Baez and Mitch Machlitt which found the stick of Butte open on the doorstep to regain a two-goal lead for Army.

That line connected again for Army with 2:23 left in the second period. Moments after a great diving save by Forget, Machlitt collected his second of the season with Butte and Baez recording assists.

Princeton is back on the road next weekend, heading to Brown (November 5) and Yale (November 6) to open ECAC and Ivy League play. Puck drop for both games is 7 p.m.