Team Notes: Denver Cup Classic Awaits Princeton This Thanksgiving Weekend
PRINCETON, N.J. - Thanksgiving weekend will be in the Mile-High City for the Princeton men's hockey team as the Tigers compete in the Denver Cup Classic at Magness Arena. Princeton will play Denver on Friday, Nov. 25 and Providence on Saturday, Nov. 26.
This is Princeton’s third time competing in the Denver Cup. The team was third in 1993 and second in 2005. Princeton has played Denver in both Cups, losing 5-2 in 1993 and winning 4-1 in 2005. The Tigers also defeated Air Force 3-2 in 1993 and lost to Boston College 5-1 in 2005.
Princeton dropped a pair of games to nationally-ranked teams on the road last weekend, falling to No. 18 Cornell and No. 17 Colgate. The Tigers are 2-6-1 overall and 2-5 in the ECAC. Five players have a team-high five points. They include junior Rob Kleebaum, junior Michael Sdao, senior Derrick Pallis and sophomore Andrew Calof. All five of Calof and Pallis’ points have come by way of assist, while Kleebaum and Sdao have four goals and one assist apiece. Sophomore Sean Bonar has started in seven games and owns a 2-4-1 record. He has a .901 save percentage and a 2.86 goals against average.
The series between Princeton and Denver is tied at 2-2. All four games have been played in Denver with the last two games being played in the Denver Cup. The first meeting was on Dec. 19, 1950, a 7-3 Denver win. Princeton won the last meeting, a 4-1 game on Dec. 30, 2005.
Denver is ranked No. 10 in the latest USCHO poll with a 5-3-3
record. The Pioneers are riding a three-game unbeaten streak that
includes a 7-3 win and a 3-3 tie with Nebraska-Omaha from last
weekend. The Pioneers have played 64 percent of their games at home
(7 of 11) at Magness Arena. Denver has the
sixth best scoring offense in the nation, averaging 3.91 goals per
game but also gives up 3.27 gpg. The Pioneers have converted 9 of
49 power play chances (18.4) and have killed 46 of 58 penalties
(79.3). Four players are in double digits in scoring led by junior
Drew Shore’s 16 points off of five goals and a team-best 11
assists. Sophomore Jason Zucker has a team-high six goals and nine
assists for 15 points. Freshman Joey LaLeggia and sophomore Beau
Bennett both have 10 points. Junior Adam Murray has made nine
starts in goal and has a 5-2-1 record with a .902 save percentage
and a 3.40 GAA. Rookie Juho Olkinuora has made two starts and is
0-1-2 with a .918 save percentage and a 2.11 GAA.
Providence leads the all-time series 23-10-2. The first game was
on Jan. 7, 1954 a 4-3 win for the Friars. It’s been nearly a
decade since the teams met, last facing each other in 2002 which
resulted in an 8-1 Providence win.
Providence is receiving votes in the latest USCHO poll with a
6-4-1 record. The Friars have played just one game in the last two
weeks, hosting Northeastern on Nov. 18 and falling 5-2. The loss
snapped a four-game win streak for the Friars. The team is scoring
3.55 gpg (8th in the nation) and allowing 2.91 gpg (34th in the
nation). The power play has scored on 13 of 61 chances (21.3%) and
its penalty kill has allowed just seven power play goals (88.3%)
which is 10th in the nation. Freshman Ross Mauermann sits atop the
scoring column with four goals and eight assists for 12 points.
Junior Tim Schaller adds 10 points on eight goals and two helpers.
Freshman Damian Cross and junior Myles Harvey contribute nine and
eight points, respectively. Senior Alex Beaudry has started in all
but one game in goal. He has a 5-3-1 record with a 2.82 GAA and a
.902 save percentage.
