Men's Hockey Defeats Union, 6-4, In ECAC First Round

Saturday, March 4

Schenectady, N.Y.

4:00 PM

Princeton University

13-17-0

Union

14-19-2

Princeton

Union (NY)

Photo by: Sideline Photos, LLC

Men's Hockey Defeats Union, 6-4, In ECAC First Round

March 04, 2023 | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

Playoff resiliency at its finest was on display as Princeton regained its composure late to break a 4-4 deadlock and secure a 6-4 win at Union in the ECAC First Round.

Spencer Kersten scored twice in a span of 2:43 to turn a nervy, 4-4 affair into a two-goal win for the Tigers. Princeton had been under siege a bit since the midway mark of the second period as the Dutchmen had scored three consecutive goals to turn a 4-1 Princeton lead into a 4-4 tie with 11:04 remaining in the game.

No Such Thing As A Bad Shot!

Ian Murphy's second of the night comes from deep in the Union zone. pic.twitter.com/MxBoxQpLBy
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) March 4, 2023

Rather than allow the Dutchmen to continue to push the pace, the Tigers tackled each new obstacle as it came – starting with a clutch penalty kill following a self-inflicted too many men on the ice penalty.

Less than a minute after Princeton killed that minor, Kersten would speed down the left wing and rifle a backhander over Connor Murphy's shoulder and under the crossbar for a 5-4 Princeton lead.

Minutes later, he would corral a loose puck after a Union turnover and break down the other wall. With a defender closing, Kersten used that defender as a bit of a screen to send a snapshot off the post and in for an all-important insurance goal to help avenge a two-game sweep in the same rink during last year's ECAC First Round.

Icing On The Cake!

Spencer Kersten with a rocket to add some insurance and send the Tigers on to the Quarterfinals! pic.twitter.com/wD9nev3nMK
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) March 4, 2023

With the win, Princeton advances to next weekend's ECAC Quarterfinals against No. 2 seed Harvard in Cambridge. The best-of-three series with the Crimson will take place March 10-12 with game times and ticket information to be released in the coming days.

In addition to Kersten's two goals, Ian Murphy also had a pair of goals as part of a three-point night. Jack Cronin and Pito Walton had the other Princeton goals. The Tigers had 11 total skaters record at least a point.

Aidan Porter made 31 saves for the win, stopping 11 shots in each of the first and third periods.

The Tigers were forced to the penalty kill early after a Mackenzie Merriman tripping penalty 2:23 into the game. Princeton was up to the task of the early test, with Aidan Porter making two key saves to deny the Dutchmen.

After that kill, the Tigers would find some momentum and eventually score twice in 2:21 to take a 2-0 lead.

Ian Murphy had the first goal, finishing off a sustained cycle from multiple Princeton lines with a redirection of a David Ma offering from the point 9:40 into the game.

Ian Murphy Is Him!

14th goal of the season for Murph has the Tigers in front, 1-0, at Union! pic.twitter.com/ISCRObeaSj
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) March 4, 2023

Minutes later, Joe Berg would force a Union turnover behind the Dutchmen net and feed the puck to a wide-open Jack Cronin in front for a quick flip top corner and a 2-0 lead.

Jumping' Jack Flash!

Jack Cronin capitalizes on a Union miscue and we lead, 2-0! pic.twitter.com/4784vaoxJ6
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) March 4, 2023

Union responded late in the period, Josh Nixon one-timing a drop pass from Caden Villegas with 0:53 left in the opening period.

Princeton scored twice in 0:41 early in the second period to take a 4-1 lead.

Pito Walton finished off a 3-on-2 with a quick wrister 5:12 into the period off an Ian Murphy pass.

Pito Picks His Spot!

Well-executed breakout ends with the captain giving us a 3-1 lead. pic.twitter.com/Fj6wCqCpG9
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) March 4, 2023

Less than a minute later, Murphy struck for his second of the game, threading a shot from deep in the Union zone through Connor Murphy's pads and in for a 4-1 Tigers lead.

No Such Thing As A Bad Shot!

Ian Murphy's second of the night comes from deep in the Union zone. pic.twitter.com/MxBoxQpLBy
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) March 4, 2023

Union answered with a power-play goal at the 9:28 mark of the middle period when Caden Villegas had a shot from the right circle slip through to cut Princeton's lead to 4-2.

The lead was cut to 4-3 when Union scored a short-handed goal with 7:32 left in the second period. Ville Immonen took advantage of a Princeton turnover, one-timing home a Tyler Waltkins pass.

Nixon would connect again for the Dutchmen, this time a power-play goal midway through the third period to tie the game, 4-4. Moments after a huge shot block from Mike Kennedy, Nixon collected a centering and took it back against the grain before shoveling the puck inside the right post while Porter was leaning the other way in anticipation of the intended pass.