HOLDING THE FORT: Princeton University men’s hockey goalie Colton Phinney guards the net in a game last winter. Over the weekend, sophomore Phinney starred in a losing cause as Princeton lost 2-0 to Quinnipiac on Saturday and then fell 1-0 to the Bobcats a day later in a two-game set between the ECAC Hockey rivals. The Tigers, now 2-12-1 overall and 1-9 ECACH, host the Russian Red Stars on January 3 in an exhibition contest. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Colton Phinney has been a busy man for the Princeton University men’s hockey team so far this winter,

The sophomore goalie averaged more than 35 saves a game in his first 12 appearances this season.

While Phinney has definitely been under the gun much of the time, he likes being in the middle of the action.

“It has been tiring at times, for sure, but I prefer that,” said Phinney, a 6’1, 175-pound native of Chatham, N.J.

“Those are the easiest games to play. When they are shooting pucks at you the whole game, you get a chance to feel it. I would rather have that than seeing 15 shots a game. It is tough if you give up a goal in that type of game. Now if I give up a goal, I still have some some saves and we can get back into it and feel better.”

Last weekend, Phinney was sharp but not harried as the Tigers faced ECAC Hockey foe and 14th-ranked Quinnipiac in a two-game set. On Saturday, Phinney made 22 saves as the Tigers fell 2-0 at Quinnipiac. A day later, he recorded 24 saves in a 1-0 defeat to the Bobcats at Baker Rink.

“It was the easiest weekend I have had,” said Phinney. “We didn’t give up many chances. I can’t think of any Grade A chances that we gave up where I had to come up with a really big save. We were definitely better in the d-zone. We created a lot of chances. At the end of the second period we almost had a goal. Yesterday we had a couple go through his legs and hit the post.”

In Sunday’s game, a sequence early in the third period when Princeton got whistled for a 5-minute penalty while Quinnipiac received a 2-minute penalty after a scuffle proved decisive as the Bobcats cashed in with the game’s lone goal on their power play.

“I thought it was a tough call,” said Phinney. “We came away with a five and they came away with a two. I thought it was going to be even up but they end up scoring on the power play. It was tough but we definitely bounced back.”

The Tigers kept fighting, generating a number of chances, including a David Hallisey shot that hit the post in the waning moments of the contest.

“We played well,” said Phinney. “We were resilient tonight, we played 60 minutes of hockey and one power play goal won it. They have an unbelievable power play. It was definitely a building  weekend. I think this is our best weekend overall, other than maybe Michigan State, but I think these were better games.”

In reflecting on his sophomore campaign, Phinney noted that he is working on building his game.

“I have had some good games but I have also struggled a bit at times,” said Phinney, who currently has a 3.20 goals against average and .916 save percentage.

“I guess that is going to happen. It is pretty easy for me, there have been a lot of outside shots so I don’t have to make too many big saves. It goes to the coaches having guys in front so I can just worry about the first shot.”

With a season under his belt, Phinney is feeling a greater comfort level on the ice.

“I have seen every single team in the league now so that helps,” said Phinney. “Last year I didn’t see Dartmouth or Cornell and now I have seen them. It helps knowing who these guys are and what their systems are. I had a good idea about Quinnipiac’s power play and who their top guns were. I think that is probably the biggest thing, just knowing the league better and feeling more comfortable each night.”

Princeton head coach Ron Fogarty sees Phinney as a top goalie. “He is our most valuable player; we just need him to continue what he is doing,” said Fogarty, whose team moved to 2-12-1 overall and 1-9 ECACH with the defeat on Sunday.

In Fogarty’s view, the Tigers are doing better and better on defense as the season has gone on.

“I am not seeing as much time in our defensive zone as last month, that is a great stride,” said Fogarty.

“We are not expending a lot of energy chasing the puck. We are jumping quicker to stop any cycles. We only gave up 49 shots in two games this weekend. Earlier this season, we had given up 49 shots in some games. That shows that a structure is in place.”

In the wake of Sunday’s loss, Fogarty acknowledged that emotions were raw after coming so close to the win.

“It is so disheartening, you want the team and the guys to win,” said Fogarty. “They worked that hard, you want to see the tangible results. I feel really bad for the guys after that effort, they are working so hard. I want them to enjoy a night after that type of work.”

Fogarty, though, is heartened by his team’s work rate and believes it will start paying dividends.

“You saw 60 minutes of focus,” said Fogarty, whose squad is next in action when it hosts the Russian Red Stars on January 3 in an exhibition contest.

“Hallisey hits the pipe with the goalie pulled at the end, we have had a lot of work on that part of the game. Our guys have been very attentive and detail-oriented. I thought our guys played well throughout the game. You want to get the first goal. We had the chance with seconds to go on the second period, it bounces over (Ben) Foster’s stick. You just have to keep mining. We are bringing up coal right now and we will start bringing up that gold very soon.”

Phinney, for his part, sees some golden moments on the horizon. “We can turn things around,” asserted Phinney.

“You give up three goals this weekend against a team like this, you can definitely win games. Today was a game that could have gone either way. If we play like this every weekend, we can do some damage.”