Based on the first two games of the season, it looked like the same old story for the Princeton High girls’ hockey team.

Coming off a winless campaign in 2010-11, PHS dropped its opener this winter 7-3 to Pingry and then fell 11-2 at Princeton Day School on December 15.

With the Little Tigers heading up to Summit High one day after the PDS defeat, PHS head coach Christian Herzog had a heart-to-heart chat with his players.

“We talked after the PDS game,” said Herzog. “I told them they could sit and let it fester or they could come out and be better players for it.”

The players clearly adopted the latter approach and authored a new script, pulling out a dramatic 4-3 win over Summit in finally returning to the win column.

In the victory over Summit, the Little Tigers came out hard. The game was knotted 1-1 after one period with freshman Lucy Herring tallying the PHS goal. Goals by senior standouts Abby Hunter and Keely Herring gave the Little Tigers a 3-2 lead over the Hilltoppers heading into the third period.

Herzog liked the way his players kept their focus as the Summit game unfolded.

“We talked about taking it period to period,” said Herzog. “When I talk to the girls, we set lofty goals but once the puck is dropped they lose sight of the goals. I told them to stick to the game plan. I tightened up the bench.”

In the third period, Summit tied the game up 3-3 and Herzog sensed that his players were having some feelings of deja vu.

“I know they were thinking here we go again,” recalled Herzog, whose team had gone 0-17-1 in its last 18 games with its last win coming against PDS in late February 2010 in the WIHLMA (Women’s Ice Hockey League of the Mid-Atlantic) playoffs. “I said ‘no heads down ladies, we are going to win this game.’”

Minutes later, freshman Campbell McDonald helped make Herzog’s words come to fruition as she notched what turned out to be the game winner.

“Abby blasted the puck and Campbell looked up and it bounced off her,” said Herzog.

The team had a blast on the ride home after the triumph. “It was interesting,” said Herzog. “There was a lot of singing and celebrating.”

Herzog sung the praises of senior goalie Tobi Afran, whose clutch play was a key factor in the win.

“Tobi had a big game; she had 30 saves exactly,” said Herzog. “She stepped up in the third period. They had a few odd-man rushes and some 1-on-0 situations.”

Senior defenseman and co-captain Vinita Su helped save the day for PHS, diving to stop a point blank shot by Summit late in the contest.

“Not too many kids would lay down and possibly take it on the chin,” said Herzog. “She stepped up and covered it up.”

The play of freshmen McDonald and Lucy Herring together with senior star Abby Hunter has helped the PHS offense take things up a notch this season.

“Campbell is aggressive; she is not afraid to mix it up,” said Herzog. “Lucy Herring has been getting a point a game for us. Abby has also progressed; she has more of a finishing attitude. She is always someone who has worked hard but she has more goals than Keely so far this season.”

In Herzog’s view, the breakthrough should lead to more wins this winter for PHS.

“I think so,” said Herzog. “We have a big weekend coming up. We have Shady Side and Holton Arms at PDS. We tied Shady Side last year.”