PUTTING UP A FIGHT: Princeton University men’s hockey player Mike Ambrosia, left, tangles with Devon Toews of Quinnipiac last week. Princeton dropped both games of the home-and-home set with the No. 3 Bobcats, falling 6-0 at Baker Rink on December 29 and then losing 4-3 a day later at Quinnipiac. Last Saturday, senior captain and forward Ambrosia tallied a goal as the Tigers lost 4-3 at Holy Cross to move to 4-12 overall. Princeton hosts Rensselaer on January 7 and Union on January 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Hosting No. 3 Quinnipiac last week in its first game since December 12, the Princeton University men’s hockey team looked like it was still on holiday break in the early stages of the contest. 

Getting outskated from the opening face-off, Princeton yielded five unanswered goals in the first period of the December 29 game.

Princeton head coach Ron Fogarty acknowledged that his squad wasn’t up to speed against the powerful Bobcats.

“When you’re playing a top team in the nation, you better be hitting on all cylinders and they did a great job of jumping on every loose puck,” said Fogarty.

“Our inability to make contact as a first guy up ice was a difference in many odd-man rushes and the scoring opportunities that they had. We were caught between; you have to fully commit or you play a trap and we don’t play a trap so you have to fully commit to the systems.”

While Princeton held its own the rest of the way as it fell 6-0, Fogarty knew that the Bobcats played close to the vest after building its early cushion.

“When it is 6-0, they are going to lay off the gaps, the game is going to look a little more even,” said Fogarty.

“That game was a product of Quinnipiac being a better hockey team. Quinnipiac is a good team. As coaches, we speak to the media and you say what went wrong with your team and you give all the cliches. When in fact you have to look at the other team and say that is a pretty damn good hockey team. That is what the difference was.”

Fogarty was hoping to see a different result the next day when the teams wrapped up their home-and-home set in Hamden, Conn.

“It is to see how you can recover and what your next step is in the progression,” said Fogarty.

“It is great to have a game tomorrow night. If you are going to split, win the second game.”

While Princeton didn’t get a split, it took a step forward the next night when the teams met for the second game of the home-and-home set as the Tigers jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first period on goals by Ryan Siiro, Max Veronneau, and Josh Teves. Quinnipiac, though, responded with three unanswered goals in the second period and held on for a 4-3 win.

On Saturday at Holy Cross, Princeton produced another gritty effort in a 4-3 road loss that saw Princeton rally from a 2-0 deficit with goals by Ben Foster, Mike Ambrosia, and David Hallisey to make it a 3-3 game heading into the third period. The Crusaders notched the game winner with 43 seconds remaining in regulation as the Tigers dropped to 4-12 overall.

While the Tigers would like to have more wins at this point, Fogarty is keeping his focus on the big picture.

“The game plan is consistent from when we started, 5-man units, getting it deep, and a good forecheck,” said Fogarty, whose team hosts Rensselaer on January 7 and Union on January 8. “It has proven successful.”