ON THE STICK: Princeton High boys’ hockey player Brendan Beatty brings the puck up the ice in action last winter. Junior forward Beatty is the leading returning scorer for PHS, having tallied 33 points on 10 goals and 23 assists last season. The Tigers open their 2023-24 campaign by facing Notre Dame High on December 11 at the Mercer County Skating Center. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

In taking the helm of the Princeton High boys’ hockey team last winter, Rik Johnson benefited from a stellar senior group that provided leadership and production.

The team’s Class of 2023, headlined by high-scoring forwards Cooper Zullo and Ethan Garlock, led the way as PHS won the Mercer County Tournament for the first time since 2020 and advanced the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Public A quarterfinals on the way to a 15-7-1 record.

As PHS head coach Johnson looks ahead to the 2023-24 campaign, he acknowledges that his squad may have to rely on its battle-tested blue line unit to maintain the program’s winning ways.

“It is going to be an interesting year in that we lost a lot of firepower from last year but the entire defense is back,” said Johnson, whose team opens its 2023-24 campaign by facing Notre Dame High on December 11 at the Mercer County Skating Center.

Johnson believes that a trio of veterans — junior Brendan Beatty (10 goals and 23 assists in 2022-23), senior T.T. Zhao (12 goals, 19 assists), and senior Charles Ross (8 goals, 12 assists) — can provide plenty of firepower this winter.

“Brendan’s focus is definitely lacrosse, — he comes out here and he is loose and has fun,” said Johnson. “I think it makes him a lot more dangerous in hockey. TT is good, he splits time with club hockey but when he is on the ice for us he is effective. Ross is looking good, he is going to be one of the captains. He was that wing on the top line last, he was with Cooper a lot. He will be holding that same position this year.”

The team’s sophomore line of Liam Campbell (3 goals, 2 assists), Anders Hedin (1 goal, 1 assist), and Ryan Garlock (2 goals, 2 assists) is looking very good.

“I can swap them with my first line,” said Johnson. “In size, speed, and ability, they have grown. They have certainly been playing in the offseason so they really look good. The three of them — Garlock, Hedin, and Campbell — work real well together.”

On defense, a pair of seniors, Graham Baird (4 goals, 4 assists) and Michael Prete (2 goals, 2 assists), work well together and lead the way along the blue line.

“Graham brings his leadership obviously,” said Johnson of Baird, who is one of the team’s captains along with senior Oisin O’Dell and Ross. “He had a beautiful goal last night in our scrimmage and the pass was from Mike. When the defense is checking in like that, it is great. I think Mike is going to be a sleeper where he is not necessarily flashy but he gets it done.”

The rest of the defensive unit will feature O’Dell (3 goals, 8 assists), junior Jack Zimet (2 assists), junior Ed Zhao (1 assist), and junior Wyatt Arshan (1 goal, 1 assist).

“Oisin and Jack will be the second line and then third line could be intertwined with Ed and Wyatt,” said Johnson. “They probably will be both offense/defense.”

At goalie, junior Noah Vitulli (389 saves and .821 save percentage in 2022-23) has made a lot of progress after his first season as a starter.

“Noah is back and looking very sharp,” said Johnson. “He did a lot of work over the course of the summer and it is pretty evident. It is some of the small things, the way he is covering the puck and tracking it. He is standing big in the net. He does feel more confident.”

Johnson is confident that PHS can have another big campaign as long as it plays a disciplined brand of hockey.

“It is going to be a wait and see kind of season,” said Johnson. “I think because we are so green, it is going to be a defensive kind of mindset. If we can go out there and minimize our mistakes and capitalize on the opposing teams, that is really going to be the best balance.”