Men's Hockey Hosts Union & RPI In Return To ECAC Play

Friday, December 6

7:00 PM

Princeton University

Union

Tickets

Brendan Gorman Celebrates a goal against Ohio State

Photo by: Shelley M. Szwast

Men's Hockey Hosts Union & RPI In Return To ECAC Play

December 04, 2024 | Men's Ice Hockey

Princeton vs. Union | December 6 | 7 p.m.
Baker Rink | Teddy Bear Toss -- Please Note: The Teddy Bear Toss Takes Place During The First Intermission. Please Refrain From Throwing Stuffed Animals On The Ice Until Directed During The First Intermission
Tickets | Live Stats | ESPN+ | International Stream | Game Notes

Princeton vs. RPI | December 7 | 7 p.m.
Baker Rink | University Day & Alumni Day
Tickets | Live Stats | ESPN+ | International Stream | Game Notes

LOOSE ENDS
The Tigers are 40-73-12 all-time against RPI, including a 21-27-6 record at Hobey Baker Rink in a series that dates all the way back to 1952 when RPI won the first meeting in Troy. Last season, each team picked up a win on the road with RPI taking a 4-3 win in New Jersey via a Sutter Muzzatti goal in the third period. The all-time series with Union stands at 27-43-9 dating back to a 4-3 (OT) win for Princeton in December of 1982. At Baker Rink, things are pretty even to the tune of a 17-17-4 record. Last year, the two teams skated to a 2-2 tie before Princeton claimed the shootout. Nick Carabin was the hero in regulation for the Tigers, scoring twice in the third period to force overtime. Arthur Smith stopped all three shot faced in the shootout, while Adam Robbins scored for The Tigers.

ALL THE WAY HOME
The Tigers are in the middle of a stretch where they play 11 of their next 13 games at home between 11/29-1/26 with only a pair of one-game road trips mixed in. The Tigers are 2-0-0 to start that block of games at Baker Rink and are now 2-1-1 at home this season.

THE BIG PAYBACK
After getting swept in Columbus last year, Princeton returned the favor with a pair of 3-1 victories over No. 12 Ohio State last weekend for its first sweep of a ranked non-conference foe since knocking off No. 10/12 Bemidji State in 2016. The wins over the Buckeyes marked the first-ever victories for Princeton over Ohio State. Jake Manfre had 3 points on Friday, scoring a pair of PPGs and adding an assist. The Tigers scored three times in the third period on Saturday to break open a 0-0 game. Arthur Smith won both games, stopping 66 of 68 shots faced.

ONE STEP UP
The performance against the Buckeyes marked a step up for the Tigers in terms of the Pairwise rankings and overall national notoriety. The Tigers were named "Team Of The Week" by College Hockey News and are up to No. 30 in the Pairwise rankings. Entering this weekend, Princeton has played the No. 12 toughest schedule with its previous opponents boasting a combined win percentage of .578 (39-27-11)

HUMAN TOUCH
Princeton has had the first human to touch the puck on face-offs at a good clip to start the season, ranking No. 30 in country in faceoff % at .504 (232-228) through four games. Freshman Drew Garzone is 62% on faceoffs this season (64-40) and ranks No. 7 in the country in faceoff win percentage among players to win at least 64 draws.

NO SURRENDER
There was no retreat from senior defenseman Noah de la Durantaye last season as he had career highs in points (18) and assists (15) while his three goals were one away from his career high. He is Princeton's active leader in games played (96) and assists (36) and second in points (48).

JACOB'S LADDER
David Jacobs had 15 points (5g, 10a) as a freshman in 2022-23 over 32 games before climbing the points ladder last year and becoming almost a point-per-game player with 24 points in 30 games last season as a sophomore. He has three points (3a) in eight games this season.

THE WALL
Arthur Smith was named honorable mention All-Ivy last season in goal as a freshman bolstered by a 5-1-0 record against Ivy opponents with a 2.26 GAA and a .926 save percentage. He earned ECAC Goaltender of the Week honors after stopping 66-of-68 shots in two wins over No. 12 Ohio State -- his second career ECAC Goaltender of the Week honor. He currently ranks No. 4 in the ECAC and No. 19 in the country in save percentage (.926) and is No. 6 in the ECAC and No. 27 in the country in GAA (2.34).

THE 'E' STREET SHUFFLE
There were some sparks flying in E's crease as Ethan Pearson made 50 saves and allowed just two goals in a 1-0-1 weekend at Yale and Brown to earn ECAC Goaltender of the Week honors. Pearson is 1-3-1 overall this season and boasts a 2.54 GAA (#8 in ECAC and #37 in NCAA) and .898 save%.

WAITING ON A SUNNY DAY
Princeton fans have been waiting on the return of David Ma since the end of the 2022-23 season and he returns to the defensive corps for his junior season after missing all of last season as he dealt with an injury that had limited him to just 35 games over his first two seasons. He had 7 points (2g, 5a) in 18 games in 21-22 before adding 4 assists in 17 games in 22-23. A puck-moving defenseman, Ma won a Clark Cup with the Chicago Steel in 2021 and played for Team USA at the 2019 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. He has four points (2g, 2a) in eight games this season -- scoring at Brown (11/16) for his first goal in 1,099 days dating back to 11/13/21 at LIU.

THE RISING
Already through six games this season, Nick Marciano's career high in points has started rising. He has three points (1g, 2a) in eight games after posting four total points over his first 48 games.

MAN AT THE TOP
Jake Manfre is the man at the top of the Princeton rookie scoring race with 3-3-6 totals through eight games. After tallying an assist in his first collegiate game against Harvard (11/8) he notched his first career goal in his third career game with a redirection at Yale (11/15) before exploding for 2 PPGs and an assist in a 3-1 win over Ohio State (11/29) and adding an assist against the Buckeyes on 11/30 for a four-point weekend to earn ECAC Rookie of the Week honors and ECAC Rookie of the Month honors for November.