Men's Ice Hockey Hosts Union For ECAC Quarterfinals

Friday, March 13

7:00 PM

Princeton University

Union

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Photo by: Shelley M. Szwast

Men's Ice Hockey Hosts Union For ECAC Quarterfinals

March 12, 2026 | Men's Ice Hockey

Game One: Princeton vs. Union | March 13 | 7 p.m.
Hobey Baker Rink
Tickets | Live Stats | ESPN+ | International Stream | Game Notes

Game Two: Princeton vs. Union | March 14 | 7 p.m.
Hobey Baker Rink
Tickets | Live Stats | ESPN+ | International Stream

Game Three (If Necessary): Princeton vs. Union | March 15 | 4 p.m.
Hobey Baker Rink
Tickets (On Sale Only If Game Is Necessary) | Live Stats | ESPN+ | International Stream

LOOSE ENDS
The Tigers are 29-45-9 all-time against Union, including an 18-18-4 mark at Hobey Baker Rink in a series that dates back to 1982. The Tigers are 2-1-1 in their last four meetings with the Garnet Chargers at Baker Rink. In December, Princeton picked up a 5-1 win in its first game at the M&T Bank Center. The Tigers had five different goal scorers while Carson Buydens and David Jacobs each had two assists. Conor Callaghan made 29 stops while allowing just one goal.

In early January, the Tigers led the Garnet Chargers, 2-1, after two periods but could not hold off a Union comeback in a 4-2 loss at Baker Rink. Julian Facchinelli and Jaxson Ezman scored for the Tigers with Ezman adding an assist, while Tyler Dunbar and Nate Hanley each had a goal and an assist for Union.

The Tigers rank No. 30 in the nation in Scoring Offense (2.97 goals-per-game) which is also No. 6 in the ECAC.

The Tigers rank No. 25 in the nation and No. 5 in the ECAC in Scoring Defense (2.73 goals allowed-per-game).

Princeton is No. 26 in the country in Scoring Margin, outscoring opponents by an average of 0.23 goals-per-game.

The Tigers are 43-for-51 (84.3%) on the penalty kill over their last 18 games (9-7-2 record) and had killed off 18 consecutive penalties at one point in that stretch. That run has improved their overall PK% to 79.8% after starting the year at 72.2 through 12 games.

Princeton is 13-for-62 (20.9%) on the power play over its last 18 games after starting the season 4-for-29 (13.8%) through nine games.

Princeton has scored 4+ goals in 11 of 30 games (11-0-0 record) this season. Last year, they scored 4+ goals in in 8 of 30 games and were 5-2-1 in those games.

PRINCETON IN THE POLLS
The Tigers entered the national rankings on 1/5 for the first time since the 2018-19 season and reached as high as No. 18 in both the USCHO and USA Hockey rankings.

Princeton currently sits No. 30 in the NPI entering this weekend while Union is No. 21.

HOME FOR THE PLAYOFFS
For the first time since the 2018 ECAC Opening Round, Princeton will play home postseason games.

This weekend marks the first time the Tigers are hosting an ECAC Quarterfinal series since the 2008-09 team earned the No. 3 seed and defeated Union, 2 games to 1, en route to an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Tigers are 3-0 in home Quarterfinal series all-time with wins over Cornell (1998-99), Yale (2007-08) and Union (2008-09).

Princeton has won its last four home playoff games overall, including a sweep of Brown in the 2018 Opening Round and wins in Game 2 and Game 3 against Colgate in the 2017 Opening Round to win that series 2 games to 1.

A YEAR TO REMEMBER
Princeton's 15 wins this season are T9 all-time in program history and the most since the 2017-18 team won 19 on its way to an ECAC Championship and NCAA bid. Only the 2008-09 team has more wins at home (13) than the Tigers do this year (12).

TWO TIGERS NAMED ALL-ECAC
Kai Daniells and Arthur Smith were honored by the ECAC head coaches with selection to the All-ECAC teams ahead of the postseason. Both were named Third-Team All-ECAC to earn their first career All-ECAC honors.

ALL-IVY HONORS ROLL IN
Four Tigers were named All-Ivy at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season. David Jacobs, Kai Daniells and Tyler Rubin were all named second-team All-Ivy for their efforts in Ivy League games -- each earning All-Ivy accolades for the first time in their careers.

Arthur Smith was named honorable mention All-Ivy, picking up his second career All-Ivy nod.

In addition, Tyler Rubin was named Academic All-Ivy.

HOT HANDS
David Jacobs (9g, 15a) has 24 points over his last 22 games which included a seven-game point streak that was snapped at Cornell. Overall this season, he has points in 20 of 30 games (9g, 20a) with eight multi-point efforts. He enters the playoffs on a three-game point streak (2g, 2a).

Jaxson Ezman has points in 13 of his last 21 games (6g, 12a) and had a four-point weekend against RPI and Union (1g, 3a) and three points against Yale and Brown (1g, 2a).

Brendan Gorman had goals in back-to-back games against Cornell and Harvard and now has four goals in his last 10 games.

After recording one point in his first 27 collegiate games, Malcolm Green has three (1g, 2a) in his last three games.

Joshua Karnish went 39 games without a goal dating back to a goal at Yale on 11/25/24 but has goals in three consecutive games.

Kai Daniells had three points (1g, 2a) in the final weekend of the regular season. That was the fifth weekend this season that he had points in both games.

Tyler Rubin had assists in each game of the final weekend of the regular season and now has four points (1g, 3a) in his last six.

SISON NAMED FINALIST FOR HOCKEY HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Senior Jayden Sison has been named 1 of 5 finalists for the Hockey Humanitarian Award which is presented annually to college hockey's finest citizen — a student-athlete who makes significant contributions not only to his or her team but also to the community-at-large through leadership in volunteerism.

GO-GO GORMAN
Brendan Gorman had 13 total points (6g, 7a) over his last 13 games of the 2024-25 season and posted eight total multi-point games last year. He led Princeton in goals (12), assists (14), points (26), and faceoff wins (285). His 0.4 goals-per-game was No. 11 among all ECAC players and his two short-handed goals last year were No. 2 in the ECAC and No. 8 in the country.

Growth has been consistent for Gorman over his three previous seasons as his point totals have increased from 19 as a freshmen to 24 as a sophomore before reaching the 26-point mark last year as a junior.

All-time, Gorman now ranks No. 26 in scoring by a Princeton men's hockey player with 90 points (37g, 53a) in 120 games. He is one point away from tying for the No. 25 spot.

Last season, Gorman was named third-team All-ECAC and he was a first-team All-Ivy selection.

Gorman's 0.43 goals-per-game are No. 11in the ECAC.

His work this season has earned Gorman a nomination for the Hobey Baker Award fan vote.

KD, ARE YOU WITH ME?
The Tigers are glad Kai Daniells is with them in 2025-26 as the junior opened the season with four points (2g, 2a) in a sweep of Alaska-Fairbanks. Those four points in two games matched his entire output over 17 games during an injury-riddled 2024-25 season and perhaps hearken back to his rookie season in 2023-24 where Daniells had 19 points (8g, 11a) including five PPGs.

In November, Daniells had one of the best two-game performances in Princeton history with six goals over two games. On Friday against St. Lawrence, he tied the program record with five goals -- the most scored in a game by a Princeton player since 1962 and just the fourth time the mark was reached all-time. His five goals scored in one game were the most by a NCAA Division I player since 2011.

He followed that outing up with a goal and an assist against Clarkson to cap off a seven-point weekend.

Over the course of that weekend, Daniells scored two game-winning goals, a power-play goal, a 4-on-4 goal and an empty net goal.

Daniells now has 16 goals this season in 30 games, surpassing his career high (8) set in 30 games in 2023-24.
Daniells now has a career-high 32 points (16g, 16a) this season and ranks No. 5 in the ECAC in points-per-game (1.07). He also ranks No. 23 in the nation and No. 6 in the ECAC in goals-per-game (0.53).

He has four game-winning goals this season, tied for No. 16 in the nation.

Daniells has been nominated for the Hobey Baker Award fan voting for his work this season.

MAN AT THE TOP
Jake Manfre was the man at the top of the Princeton rookie scoring race in 2024-25 with 8-9-17 totals through 30 games. A four-point weekend against Ohio State last November earned him ECAC Rookie of the Week honors and ECAC Rookie of the Month honors for November. Manfre's three PPGs last season led the Tigers and were No. 16 overall in the ECAC and No. 5 among ECAC rookies. His two game-winning goals last campaign were No. 4 among ECAC rookies, and No. 11 by a freshman in all of Division I hockey.

Manfre had two goals on Nov. 1 against Alaska-Fairbanks, netting the game-winner in the third before tacking on an ENG to close the game.

This season, Manfre is third on the Tigers with 12 goals and has points in 12 of his last 21 games with 16 total points (9g, 10a) in that span.

Manfre's 0.40 goals per game rank No. 14 in the ECAC.

JACOBS' LADDER
David Jacobs was limited to 24 games last season, his lowest total over his first three seasons with the Tigers. That resulted in his lowest point total in his three seasons (3g, 11a) for 14 points after posting 24 points (7g, 17a) in 30 games the year before. Now in his second year as a captain, Jacobs enters the weekend No. 35 in Princeton's all-time scoring list with 82 points on 24 goals and 58 assists.

Jacobs had points in seven consecutive games before going without a point on the Cornell/Colgate trip, tallying 12 total points (4g, 8a) over that span which was tied for the 9th-longest point streak by a Tiger since 2002-03. He has 11 points (5g, 6a) over his last 11 games and is entering the postseason on a three-game point streak (2g, 2a).

Jacobs has 20 assists overall in 30 games this season, ranking No. 8 in the ECAC in assists per game (0.67) and No. 34 in the country.

E-Z MONEY
Jaxson Ezman had 15 points last year -- including 10 points (5g, 5a) in his last 14 games to close the season.

Already this year, he has a new career high in points with 24 (9g, 15a) in 30 games.

Ezman had a stellar start to 2025-26, tallying five points (3g, 2a) over three games including the GWG on opening night. His play earned ECAC Forward of the Week honors.

Over his last 21 games, Ezman has 18 points (6g, 12a) with three GWGs.

His four GWGs overall this season rank No. 13 in the NCAA.

THE ARTY PARTY
Over his career, Arthur Smith has earned two ECAC Goaltender of the Month awards, doing so in December of both 2023 and 2024. He is Princeton's most experienced netminder, with 51 career games played with a 20-22-5 record, two shutouts, a 2.79 GAA and a .901 save percentage. After missing nine games with injury, Smith returned to win both games over No. 9 Dartmouth and No. 18 Harvard with 58 saves on 64 shots (.906 sv%) and a 3.00 GAA for the weekend to earn ECAC Goaltender of the Week honors.

Three weeks ago against Yale and Brown, Smith was 2-0-0 with a 2.00 GA and a .907 save percentage to earn ECAC Goaltender of the Week honors once again.

GET TO KNOW GREAVO
Sophomore Kai Greaves is the younger brother of Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves who has played in 62 career games in goal with the Blue Jackets and another 158 with Cleveland of the AHL.

Kai Greaves played in all but one game last year, and had two goals and an assist.

Greaves matched his point total from all of last year on opening weekend with three assists in two games and he is now up to 14points -- all assists. Only three defensemen in the country have more assists without a goal scored than Greaves.

CAREER YEARS
This year, Kai Daniells (+13), Kai Greaves (+11), Julian Facchinelli (+9), Jaxson Ezman (+9), Jake Manfre (+6), David Jacobs (+5), Luc Pelletier (+2) and Tyler Rubin (+2) have already set career highs while Ian Devlin has matched his career high.

PRINCETON VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
All-time, the Tigers have 63 wins over ranked opponents all-time dating back to its first – a 3-2 win over No. 1 Boston University on December 30, 1997. Princeton had three wins over ranked opponents last season -- each a 3-1 victory. The first two were part of a sweep of No. 12 Ohio State at Baker Rink over Thanksgiving Weekend, followed by a 3-1 win at No. 19 Dartmouth on February 1.

This season, Princeton is 3-3-1 against ranked opponents, with a sweep of No. 9 Datmouth (5-4) and No. 18 Harvard (3-2) at Baker Rink January 2-3 and a 4-2 win over No. 10 Cornell last weekend.