RYAN’S HOPE: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey player Ryan Lisk controls the puck in a game last season. Last Wednesday, sophomore forward Lisk scored two goals to help PDS defeat Lawrenceville 6-3. The Panthers, now 9-3-2, play at LaSalle (Pa.) on January 20 before hosting Notre Dame on January 21 and Portledge School (N.Y.) on January 25. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Ryan Lisk and his teammates on the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team were chomping at the bit to get at visiting Lawrenceville School as the local rivals met last Wednesday at a packed McGraw Rink.

“We just came out ready for this game, we knew we could beat them,” said sophomore forward Lisk, noting that PDS drew confidence from having defeating Lawrenceville 2-1 in December at the Albany Academy (N.Y.) tournament.

“We have a high skill level and we know we can work hard too. We came out flying. It also helps having the big crowd cheer us on.”

Lisk gave the home fans plenty to cheer about, scoring two goals to help PDS prevail 6-3 and improve to 9-3-2.

“I just find myself in the right place at the right time,” said Lisk, reflecting on his big game which saw him score the first goal of the game three minutes into the contest and then add a key tally midway through the third period to put PDS up 4-1.

“The puck always pops out to me. I play with very talented kids like Russell Friedman and Tyler Coffey. They know how to play and they know how to put the puck where it needs to be.”

The Panthers had to play hard to the final whistle as that 4-1 lead didn’t last long with Lawrenceville scoring two quick goals to make it 4-3 game with 5:44 left in regulation. PDS responded with two late goals to pull away to the 6-3 triumph.

“Bert (PDS head coach Scott Bertoli) told us at the second intermission we had to step it up in the third period,” said Lisk. “It just felt good to get back on the ice, step it up a little bit, and make sure we finish this game out.”

After taking some lumps last year as a freshman when PDS went 3-17-4, the wiry Lisk is better suited to step up this winter for the Panthers.

“I have more strength and a little more size; it is harder to push me off the puck this year,” said Lisk.

“I can take hits and I can also give them. I have been working in the offseason, just trying to work on my shot. I played with the Princeton Youth Hockey Tigers for the first half of the year and now I am on the New Jersey Rockets.”

PDS head coach Scott Bertoli liked the clutch play he got from senior forward and captain Connor Fletcher and junior goalie Logan Kramsky in holding off the Big Red.

“I give a lot of credit to the guys in our room, they hung in there,” said Bertoli, who got one goal apiece from Keith Asplundh, Coby Auslander, Jack Mascali, and Russell Friedman in addition to the two from Lisk with netminder Kramsky making 36 saves.

“The older kids were big. Fletch was great. I don’t know if he was on the score sheet or not but the kid is our leader. As for Logan, any time you have that kid in net, you feel like you have a chance.”

Another big plus for the Panthers is the way that Lisk is taking advantage of his chances this winter.

“Ryan is sneaky smart; I think he knows where to be on the ice, especially around the net, to capitalize,” said Bertoli.

“You look at both of his goals tonight, they happened a foot or two off the side of the net. He is in the right place at the right time, it is good for a kid like that. He is going to be a really, really effective player in time. Right now he is using his speed and his hockey sense to allow him to be successful.”

The PDS players had a very good time as they defeated Lawrenceville before a standing room only crowd that was roaring all night long.

“For these guys, it is all about playing in the atmosphere, enjoying playing in front of their friends, girlfriends, parents, and alums,” said Bertoli. “I think that is great and I am so happy for them that they get to enjoy this at home.”

Bertoli, though, has his eye on enjoying a bigger prize. “For me, it is all about improving; it is all about working to get better game after game,” said Bertoli, whose team plays at LaSalle (Pa.) on January 20 before hosting Notre Dame on January 21 and Portledge School (N.Y.) on January 25.

“The Mid-Atlantic Hockey League is my focus, those five games that we  play are the focal point for me. This was huge. We don’t win this game and we might not have a chance to compete in February for the league championship game. That is still a ways off because we still have three league games.”

The win over Lawrenceville shows that the Panthers are getting better.

“It is a good step, regardless of where these two teams are, whether we are having good years, bad years, one is having a good year and the other is having a bad year, it is still a big rivalry,” said Bertoli.

“It means a lot to both schools and it means a lot to both programs. You can see that by the fans. It is a lot of fun and it was a good hockey game.”

Lisk, for his part, believes that PDS can play some very good hockey over the rest of the season.

“I think we can go really far, we have an older team,” said Lisk. “Last year we had a lot of freshmen like me and most of the guys in there. Now we are older, stronger, bigger, and more skilled. It helps a lot. We didn’t have a good season last year but that helped building a good season this year.”