TITLE SHOT: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey player Tyler Coffey controls the puck in recent action. Last Wednesday, junior star Coffey scored a first period goal to help second-seeded PDS defeat top-seeded Morristown-Beard 2-1 in the state Prep title game. The Panthers, now 13-10-2 will be taking part in the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League (MAHL) playoffs this week, where they are seeded fourth and are playing at top-seeded LaSalle College High (Pa.) in the semis on February 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Last February, the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team couldn’t catch a break as it fell 3-0 to Morristown-Beard in the state Prep title game.

When the rivals met for a rematch in this year’s Prep championship contest last Wednesday, PDS got some good fortune in the first two minutes of the contest as it went on a 5-on-3 power play.

The Panthers, however, didn’t cash in right away, seemingly startled by the early advantage.

“I think that took our kids by surprise, we really didn’t generate any scoring chances in the 5-on-3; they killed really aggressively and we had trouble just getting a shot off,” said PDS head coach Scott Bertoli.

“Then on the 5-4, the subsequent one after the major penalty, we did generate some chances. I think that when all was said and done, the shots ended up something like 9-2 in our favor.”

PDS did take advantage of a chance later in the period as junior star Tyler Coffey found the back of the net to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.

But weathering a storm from PDS early in the second period, Mo-Beard responded with a tally to make it a 1-1 game heading into the final period.

“The first eight minutes of the second period, we played the best hockey we have played, probably in three years,” said Bertoli.

“We absolutely dominated, the puck didn’t leave their zone. We had quality chance after quality chance. We just cycled and we kept it below the goal line. I was saying on the bench that we need to score because they are one shot away from tying it as good as we have been. Sure enough, right around the seven minute mark they came down and had a shot on net; we blew coverage in front and the kid taps the rebound home.”

In the final period, PDS brought the title back home for the first time since 2014 as sophomore star Coby Auslander converted a feed from senior Jack Mascali to put PDS ahead and that tally proved to be the margin of victory in a 2-1 triumph.

“We got a power play and we hadn’t had success all night on the power play so we actually started our second unit instead of our first unit and they have executed well all year,” said Bertoli.

“Jack (Mascali) made a great pass to Coby streaking to the net and he one touched it to the far side and that put us up.”

In Bertoli’s view, the Panthers had the better of the play all evening long despite the narrow final margin.

“I felt like we were always in control,” said Bertoli, who got 16 saves from senior goalie Logan Kramsky in the victory.

“I felt like that would have been a tough pill to swallow if we had not won that game. We deserved it, we played really good hockey.”

With PDS going 3-6 in January, Bertoli likes the mental toughness his team has displayed in getting back on the winning track.

“January had been a struggle because of the competition, we played good hockey but we played some of these schools up in New England that are just really good,” said Bertoli.

“I think we got a lot out of that although it wasn’t reflected in our win loss record. We talked about it and turning the page in February and now you have got the opportunity to do some good things.”

Topping Montclair-Kimberley 11-1 in the Prep semis on February 1 and then defeating Portledge School (N.Y.) 3-0 five days later, had the Panthers  in a good place as they hit the ice to face Mo-Beard.

“The Portledge win was huge and obviously this Prep title is the one thing we can stick up on a banner,” said Bertoli, whose team will be taking part in the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League (MAHL) playoffs this week, where it is seeded fourth and is playing at top-seeded LaSalle College High (Pa.) in the semis on February 15.

“I am happy that we have played well down the stretch here. Winning on the road against good competition is tough and twice this week we were able to do that so that is encouraging.”