ROCK AND ROLL: Princeton High boy’ hockey player Rocco Salvato heads up the ice last Monday as PHS played Hopewell Valley. Freshman Salvato contributed an assist to help the Little Tigers prevail 4-0 and improve to 5-0-1. PHS will look to keep on the winning track when it plays at Pennington on December 14 and at Monroe on December 16 before hosting Wall on December 22. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Rocco Salvato is only a freshman but he has been thrust into a key role for the Princeton High boys’ hockey team this winter.

Along with fellow freshman Aiden Trainor, Salvato is playing on the top line for PHS together with senior captain and star Brendon McCormick.

The trio has bonded quickly. “It is real fun, there is some camaraderie there,” said Salvato. “The senior is teaching us stuff. Aiden and I are always having fun.”

Salvato and the Little Tigers had a fun experience as they battled to a 2-2 tie in a spirited clash against Westfield last Thursday at the Mercer County Park rink.

“It was a great team to play, they were fast,” said Salvato. “We learn something every game; we really had to compete in this game.”

Showing his competitive spirit, Salvato put the Little Tigers up 2-1 in the second period on a power play goal with a point blank shot.

“It was a real nice shot from the point; I was just in the right place at the right time,” said Salvato.

“We couldn’t do it without Brendon winning the face-offs. I think it was a good bounce out to me.”

“I guess it is slightly disappointing because it was just a tie, we wanted to come out on top,” said Salvato. “We learned that nothing is going to come easy and we have to fight every game.”

Adjusting to high school hockey hasn’t always been easy for Salvato. “The size of the players is challenging, some of the kids are intimidating,” said Salvato, who started playing hockey as a three-year-old and competes on the club level for the Philly Revolution. “You just have to keep your head up and skate with them.”

PHS head coach Terence Miller knew that his team would have to skate hard in the out-of-conference clash against Westfield.

“When we scheduled the game, we knew it would be a good test,” said Miller.

“We really wanted to challenge ourselves a little bit this year. We have played Westfield in the past and they always bring a tough, gritty game. We were a little banged up; we had a couple of injuries so some other guys were able to step up for us.”

Junior forward Justin Joyce stepped up early for PHS against Westfield, scoring three minutes into the contest.

“It is always key for us to get the first goal to get the momentum on our side and just kind of take a deep breath,” said Miller. “Getting that first goal is definitely paramount for us.”

The play of precocious Salvato has been key in the early going for the Little Tigers.

“Rocco is a coach’s player; you don’t really have to say two words to him,” said a smiling Miller of Salvato, who contributed an assist to help the Little Tigers top Hopewell Valley 4-0 last Monday and improve to 5-0-1.

“He is a workhorse; he is a humble, hardworking young man. He is a great skater. Rocco had a big goal for us tonight.”

The line of the two freshmen and senior star McCormick is giving PHS some very good work.

“It is a real treat for those two freshmen to come in and play on a line with Brendon McCormick; that adds to their versatility and cohesiveness,” said Miller.

“Aiden is just a smooth skater. The thing I like most about him is that his feet never stop moving. He has poise with the puck on his stick. The two of them together along with Brendon in the middle makes for a really nice line.”

At the defensive end, the Little Tigers showed poise and grit against Westfield, led by senior goalie Sawyer Peck and star defensemen, junior Max Garlock, senior Eamonn McDonald, and senior Tooker Callaway.

“I thought Sawyer really held us down, he made some timely, timely saves,” asserted Miller of Peck, who recorded 15 stops in the tie.

“Augie Preziosi took a knock in our last game and he is out so we really leaned on our three defense men Max, Eamonn, and Tooker. Those three really showed their stamina and showed their heart because they are on the power play, penalty kill, all the special teams, so they are always on the ice.”

Miller senses a special feeling around his squad. “It has turned into a family and a cohesive group, everyone is buying in,” said Miller, whose team will look to keep on the winning track as it plays at Pennington on December 14 and at Monroe on December 16 before hosting Wall on December 22.

“We are really happy with the start but we want to make sure that we are not satisfied. If we want to get where we want to be in the postseason, we are going to have to keep it rolling.”

Salvato, for his part, is happy with how things are going so far in his debut campaign with the program.

“We have to just keep grinding; we will get the bounces when we get them,” said Salvato. “It should be a fun season.”