YOUNG GUN: Princeton University men’s hockey player Miles Gunty skates into the crease in recent action. Last Friday, freshman forward Gunty contributed two assists as Princeton defeated Union 2-1. Gunty, who picked up another assist in a 6-2 win over RPI a day later, was later named the ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Week. Princeton, now 5-4-1 overall and 3-4-1 ECACH, is next in action when it plays at Army West Point on December 28. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

By Bill Alden

Miles Gunty sensed a different vibe around the Princeton University men’s hockey team last week in the wake of its two-game sweep of No. 12 Ohio State.

“It was huge, this week at practice you could feel the energy every day,” said Gunty. “We are starting to believe a little bit more and last weekend was huge for that. Hopefully we are going to keep it rolling through the rest of the season.”

On Friday, Princeton kept rolling as it edged Union 2-1. Gunty played a key role in the win, assisting on a pair of Tigers goals in the second period. On his first assist, he set up classmate Luc Pelletier as he scored his first career goal.

“I think our line, Pells, Kevin [Anderson] and who are playing really well, the past couple of weeks especially, mainly in the forecheck,” said Gunty. “It has been a long time coming, that goal, for the whole line. I am excited to see if we can keep building on that.”

Gunty’s second helper came on a power play goal by senior star defenseman Noah de la Durantaye.

“I think our power play was great last weekend, we are continuing to get a lot of chances every time we are out there,” said Gunty. “Hopefully we can keep building. It was an unbelievable shot from de la Durantaye, hopefully he can keep shooting it like that.”

A night later, Gunty picked up another assist in a 6-2 win over RPI as the Tigers posted their fourth straight win and improved to 5-4-1 overall and 3-4-1 ECAC Hockey.

“It is just the details, Benny (Princeton head coach Ben Syer) talks about it all of the time. He talks about it with me, d-zone especially,” said the 5’11, 185-pound Gunty, a native of Bethesda, Md., who now has five assists and was later named the ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Week.

“It is just making sure you are always aware of where everybody is and sticks down on the forecheck. It is just little things you have to keep in mind all of the time. Just making sure that your head is dialed in at all times is the biggest thing.”

Gunty saw his performance against Union as a big step forward in his growth.

“It is more just like starting to figure out little spurts in terms of the details,” said Gunty. “I think tonight was my best night with that. I like the direction my line is heading in and the team overall as well.”

Princeton head coach Syer liked the way his squad took care of business as it prepared for last weekend.

“They earned their confidence last week,” said Syer. “They did a really nice job in practice all week with not being complacent and working on their game.”

Although Princeton skated to a 0-0 stalemate with Union in the first period, Syer was happy with the jump the Tigers displayed.

“I thought our guys did a really nice job of coming out and playing hard in the first period,” said Syer. “Our guys did a nice job of competing and really applying a quality forecheck early in the game.”

Seeing Pelletier break the ice in the second period was a highlight for Syer.

“It was great, he got rewarded for going hard to the net,” said Syer. “Pells hasn’t had a ton of points but he is a great player. He thinks the game. It was nice to see him get rewarded for that here tonight.”

The tally by de la Durantaye was just part of what he brought to the Tigers in the win.

“That was a big goal, it was a timely goal and a momentum builder for sure,” said Syer. “I think there are other things about Noah’s game here tonight. He settled things down for the D-corps tonight. He is really a balanced defenseman and he got rewarded for that simplicity here with the power play. He really has a calming effect for our entire group back there.”

Gunty is starting to have a major effect on things for the Tigers.

“Miles has got a nice stick, he gets a lot of different opportunities,” said Syer. “He has done a nice job moving in on the power player here as well too. He is a real nice player.”

The Tigers did really well at the defensive end against Union as they held a foe to one goal for the third straight game.

“I thought we did a solid job, there are still some things we can still clean up,” said Syer, noting that the team blocked a number of shots in holding off Union. “I was pleased collectively. I would say there is not a shift that comes to mind that I didn’t feel like the five guys on the ice weren’t bought in to playing defense in our own zone. The boys like to eat pucks.”

With Princeton on an exam/holiday hiatus until it plays at Army West Point on December 28, Syer is hoping his squad will pick up where it left off when it returns to action. The team’s recent surge is the longest regular season winning streak for the program since the Tigers won five in a row in the 2017-18 campaign.

“It is hard not to be pleased when you give up one goal in three games in a row,” said Syer. “Now it is time to get excited about that. It is can you make it habitual and really want that, night in, night out and be able to do that consistently shift in, shift out.”

Gunty is excited by how the Tigers are coming together. “This is one of the best team cultures, if not the best, I have ever been on,” said Gunty. “You can see it on the bench when Karny (Joshua Karnish) blocks that shot at the end, guys are going absolutely insane. That is what is it all about.”