(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski) caption: LO RIDER: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey player Cody Triolo controls the puck in a game last winter. Junior forward Triolo will provide offensive depth for the Panthers. PDS, the defending state Prep champs, started its 2011-12 season this week. After playing St. Joseph’s Prep on November 29, PDS will host Pennington on December 1 and St. Augustine on December 6.

For Scott Bertoli and the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team, winning the state Prep title last winter was a breakthrough on several levels.

It was the program’s first Prep crown since Bertoli started coaching at PDS in the 2006-07 season and the Panthers beat two thorns in their side, Morristown-Beard and Pingry, on the way to the the championship.

With PDS starting its 2011-12 season this week, Bertoli believes the program can experience more breakthrough moments this winter.

“We have a lot confidence in this team; we think it is a good group,” said Bertoli, whose team was slated to host St. Joseph’s Prep on November 29, Pennington on December 1, and St. Augustine on December 6.

“It is reflected in the schedule; we are adding teams like Lawrenceville, Hill and Malvern Prep. We’re also still playing teams like LaSalle, Portledge, and St. Augustine.”

Bertoli believes this year’s team can more than hold its own with anyone on the schedule.

“We have three balanced lines with seven or eight guys who can score,” said Bertoli, who guided the Panthers to a 16-9-1 record last winter.

“We have five or six good defensemen and we have proven goaltending. We have been overmatched in the past man for man, now we have the talent and depth to play with those teams. We feel better going into those games this year.”

The addition of the Colton brothers, junior Robert and freshman Ross, should help make up for the offensive firepower lost by the graduation of Peter Blackburn and the transfer of Alex Nespor.

“Robert Colton as a junior is a pretty even trade-off for Alex Nespor,” said Bertoli.

“Alex has more dynamic offensive skills but Robert is a better 2-way player. Ross is a heck of a talent. He is a Tier 1 player and will step right in and help us as a freshman.”

The Panthers boast a good group of returning forwards in seniors Garrett Jensen and Dallas Derr, together with juniors Conrad Denise and Cody Triolo, and sophomores John Egner and Louis Blackburn.

“We are depending on Conrad big-time; he is playing for the Team Comcast 16U team,” said Bertoli.

“Sean had a really good freshman year. John Egner has improved more than anybody. I am still juggling lines, I’d like to create a chemistry.”

PDS also has plenty of good pieces to juggle on defense in seniors Tyler Olsson and Taran Auslander, juniors Bump Lisk, Grahame Davis, and Eddie Meyercord, together with sophomore newcomer C.J. Young.

“C.J. is a big, strong kid,” said Bertoli, whose major loss along the blue line was the graduation of Skye Samse.

“He may not be as tall as Skye but he is more stable on the ice. He is a very strong defender. Bump’s game has gone to another level. We expect big things from him, particularly in big games when he is going against Tier 1 players.”

Senior Walker Ward and junior Connor Walker give the Panthers a strong goaltending tandem.

“Those two guys are going to compete; that will help them both get better,” said Bertoli.

“Connor did separate himself down the stretch, he started six of the eight games in the winning streak. Both are capable and the guys have confidence in both. Ward is a calming influence; he has a bigger body than Connor but he is not as athletic. Connor won some big games for us, he stole games for us that we should not have won.”

In order for the Panthers to win a lot of big games this winter, the team will need to display a constant effort.

“I think the key is consistency,” said Bertoli. “We had that when we won eight straight games near the end and played well in the Barber Tournament but we didn’t have that in other games. We lost some games we should have won. We need to win against teams we should beat and then be competitive and win some of the games against the big teams on our schedule. It is one thing to schedule them and say you have played them; it is another thing to win.”

In Bertoli’s view, taking care of the small things on a daily basis is the key to accomplishing the team’s big goals.

“The kids are excited about the year but I don’t want them to get ahead of themselves,” said Bertoli.

“We are going to focus on process and getting better everyday. I want them to stay in the moment and go out and win the hockey game they are playing today. The focus is today; we are living by that motto.”