Team Notes: Princeton to Host Nationally Ranked Colgate & Cornell
PRINCETON, N.J. - No. 12 Colgate and No. 9 Cornell visit Baker Rink and Princeton men's hockey team this weekend. The Tigers will take on Colgate on Friday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m., and Cornell on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m.
Princeton is 5-10-4 on the season and has a 4-8-1 record in ECAC Hockey to sit seventh in the league standings. The Tigers’ power play ranks fifth in the league at 20.5% (16/78) and its penalty kill is at 81.2% (65/80). Sophomore Jack Berger and junior defender Michael Sdao are tied atop the scoring column with 14 points. Berger has seven goals and seven assists, while Sdao has scored six times and adds eight helpers. Sophomore Andrew Calof adds 13 points on six goals and seven assists, and senior Derrick Pallis has put together two goals and eight assists for 10 points. Princeton has utilized two goaltenders. Sophomore Sean Bonar has a 4-6-3 record making 13 starts. He has a 2.94 GAA and an .899 save percentage. Junior Mike Condon has a 1-4-1 mark making six starts, and has a .915 save percentage and a 3.09 goals against average.
Colgate leads the series by a slim 48-43-6 margin. The Raiders won the first meeting of the season, 4-1 on Nov. 19 at Starr Rink. When playing at Baker Rink, the Tigers own a 24-21-4 record. Against the Raiders Andrew Calof has six points (1-5-6) in three games and a +2 rating. Senior Derrick Pallis has three points in seven games. Junior Rob Kleebaum has the most goals against Colgate, scoring twice for a +3 rating in three games. Both Sean Bonar and Mike Condon have played one game against the Raiders. Bonar made 42 saves and allowed four in November, while Condon made 17 saves and allowed four in a 5-4 win last year.
Colgate comes to Princeton with a 12-6-2 overall record and is in second place in the ECAC Hockey standings with a 6-2 record. The Raiders, ranked No. 12 in the nation, were swept last weekend at Ferris State and are 2-2-1 in their last five. Colgate’s special teams rank in the middle of the pack in the league, with the power play at 20.4% (21/103), and the penalty kill at 81.6% (71/87). The Raiders average 3.25 goals per game and halt teams to 2.30 gpg. Colgate boasts the league’s top two scorers. Senior Austin Smith has 20 goals and 13 assists for 33 points and sophomore Chris Wagner has 23 points on seven goals and 16 assists. Senior Austin Mayer adds 14 points while juniors Robbie Bourdon and Jeremy Price contribute 12 apiece. Sophomore Eric Mihalik is the Raiders’ go-to in net. He has started 14 games and has an 8-5-1 record, a .910 save percentage and a 2.63 GAA.
Cornell owns a 79-51-7 record in the series that began the first year of Princeton hockey in 1900. The Big Red have won the last two games including a 4-0 game in Ithaca in November. Leading the team in scoring against Cornell is Derrick Pallis. He has four points (1-3-4) in nine games. Junior Eric Meland has three points (1-2-3) in five games. The Tiger with the best on-ice rating against Cornell is junior Will MacDonald at +3 in four games. He has also scored once. Sean Bonar has faced Cornell four times, and has a 2.30 GAA and an .897 save percentage, making 61 stops on 68 shots. Mike Condon has yet to face Cornell in his career.
No. 9 Cornell enters the weekend with a 9-4-2 overall record. The Big Red sit atop the league standings with a 6-1-1 record, and are riding a three-game unbeaten streak. Cornell’s power play is fourth in the league at 21.2% (11/52) but its penalty kill is 10th at 76.6% (49/64). Cornell averages 3.00 gpg and hold opponents to 2.00. Leading the Big Red offensively is junior Greg Miller with 16 points on six goals and a team-high 10 assists. Junior defender Nick D’Agostino has a team-best eight goals to go along with seven helpers for 15 points. Freshman Brian Ferlin also contributes 15 points, while junior John Esposito rounds out the double figure scorers with 11 points. Sophomore Andy Iles is the lone netminder for the Big Red. He sports a .922 save percentage and a 1.91 GAA.
