Men's Hockey Drops Weekned Opener At Union

Friday, December 1

Schenectady, N.Y.

7:00 PM

Princeton University

3-5-1, 3-3-1

Union

7-5-0, 3-2-0

Princeton

Union (NY)

Photo by: Shelley M. Szwast

December 01, 2023 | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

Ian Murphy had a goal and an assist, but it was Union who pulled away for a 7-2 win at Messa Rink.

The Tigers spotted Union a 2-0 lead after the first period and trailed by three early in the second before goals from Kai Daniells and Murphy brough the Tigers within one after 40:00 of play. The Garnet Chargers would score early in the third to extend their lead, and then added on the three late goals to ice the game.

Princeton dominated the opening portion of the first period, building a 12-3 shot advantage but unable to find the back of the net despite a sustained 5-on-3 power play for 1:25.

After that kill, the Garnet Chargers turned the tide a bit, eventually finding a power-play goal off the stick of Liam Robertson with 1:07 left in the period. He snuck free at the top of the crease, and redirected a Brandon Buhr centering pass for the 1-0 lead.

It appeared the period would end that way, but Caden Villegas would make it 2-0 just before the buzzer to end the first, banging home a Cullen Ferguson pass from behind the net with 0.3 seconds left on the clock.

Union would extend its lead to three with a power-play goal 3:35 into the second period when a Ferguson seeing-eye shot from the point snuck through traffic and inside the left post.

Princeton would score twice before the end of the period to close within one, netting goals from Kai Daniells and Ian Murphy.

Kai Daniells Gets Us On The Board!

A roof job on the power play for his 3rd goal of the season! pic.twitter.com/U7lgbWYfUP
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) December 2, 2023

Daniells would strike on the power play off an assist from Murphy 5:38 into the second period, firing a wrister that deflected off a Union defender and into the top corner.

Irish Eyes On The Puck!@Ian_Murphy12 fights for position at the net and finishes off a great pass from Brendan Wang! pic.twitter.com/3YEbCTqfez
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) December 2, 2023

Murphy would score a goal of his own with six minutes left in the middle frame, driving to the net and funneling home a nifty centering pass from Brendan Wang.

The Garnet Chargers struck early in the third period to regain a two-goal lead via a Chaz Smedsrud quick wrister 0:27 into the period.

Union would then tack on three goals in the final 2:18 on an empty-netter from Ben Tupker and then insurance goals from John Prokop and Cole Kodsi in the final minute.

The Tigers complete the weekend with a 7 p.m. faceoff at RPI on December 2.