TOMMY CRUISE: Princeton University men’s hockey player Tommy Davis brings the puck up the ice in recent action. Junior defenseman Davis assisted on the winning goal in Princeton’s 1-0 victory over American International College on January 29. On Friday, he scored the lone goal for the Tigers in a 4-1 loss at No. 7 Harvard. A day later, Princeton didn’t find the back of the net as it fell 2-0 at Dartmouth. The Tigers, now 5-14-2 overall and 3-9-2 ECAC Hockey, host Colgate on February 5 and Cornell on February 6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Returning from an 18-day exam break, the Princeton University men’s hockey team shook off some rust as it pulled out a 1-0 win over American International College (AIC) last week.

“I think practice was really good the last week leading up to this after finals finished,” said Princeton junior defenseman Tommy Davis.

“I think we still didn’t have our best effort tonight. It was good to have this game before we get back at it in league play.”

Davis enjoyed a very good moment in the win over AIC as he assisted on the lone goal in the January 29 contest, setting up sophomore Ryan Berlin for a tally 5:50 into the third period.

“I just threw it on net and it popped right to Ryan Berlin and like a good hockey player, he was in the slot,” recalled Davis.

The Tigers played some solid hockey at the defensive end of the ice, holding the Yellow Jackets to 23 shots in the shutout.

“I think our d-corps has been getting more and more solid through the season and more comfortable with our different partners,” said Davis. “Tonight was a good team effort to get the shutout and it starts with Colton (junior goalie Colton Phinney) and progresses outward.”

This winter, Davis has formed a good partnership on the blue line with freshman Josh Teves.

“I love playing with Josh, he came in and did well right off the bat,” said Davis, a 6’2, 185-pound native of Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J.

“I have never seen a defenseman just slide into college hockey so easily. It has been awesome feeding off of him. I feel like I am playing with a kid who has played college hockey for two or three years. It is awesome.”

The Tiger defensive corps feeds off the heroics of star goalie Phinney.

“It gives you a lot of confidence, sometimes it can lull you to sleep because you expect him to make those awesome saves,” said Davis, reflecting on playing in front of Phinney.

“You saw at the end of the second period tonight, we had a lull in the last three or four minutes and he made two or three really good saves. He is a great goalie and it is really awesome that we have him here on the team.”

Midway through his third season with the Tigers, Davis believes he is contributing more to the team.

“I feel good, I feel like my defensive game has really come along; the offensive aspects haven’t been great for me this season,” said Davis, who notched his first goal of the season last Friday in a 4-1 loss at No. 7 Harvard. “I think it is staying within the team structure.”

Princeton head coach Ron Fogarty saw the win over AIC as a good step for his program.

“It is good to get any win under your belt when you are rebuilding,” said Fogarty.

“Personally, it is great. We won four last year and now we have five. There is a chance to add more so that is moving toward a personal goal.”

In Fogarty’s view, Davis is heading in the right direction. “He is a forward converted to defenseman and you can see why, sometimes he tries to jump into too much,” said Fogarty of Davis, who has five points this season with one goal and four assists.

“He is doing a lot of things better over the last year and early this season. We want him to be involved in the play, he just has to continue to make smart decisions about when to join the play.”

Heading back into ECAC Hockey play last weekend, things didn’t go well as Princeton followed up the 4-1 loss to Harvard on Friday with a 2-0 defeat at Dartmouth a night later in moving to 5-14-2 overall and 3-9-2 ECACH.

“It is tough, Harvard is a very good team and Dartmouth is streaking,” said Fogarty, whose team will look to get on the winning track when it hosts Colgate on February 5 and Cornell on February 6.

“You just try to get as many points as you can in each game, especially with how tight the standings are.”

While Princeton didn’t get any points in its return to league play, Davis is confident that the Tigers will ultimately do some damage in ECACH play this winter.

“We are starting to pull it together the last 10 games here and league play will really be great for us,” said Davis. “I think we are going to turn some heads here.”