FORWARD LOOKING: Princeton Day School girls hockey star Megan Ofner tracks down the puck last weekend at the PDS Invitational. Senior captain and forward Ofner scored three goals to help PDS top Summit 5-0 last Saturday in the opening round of the event and then chipped in a goal the next day the Panthers fell 3-2 to Rye Country Day in the championship game. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Coming into its annual invitational tournament, the Princeton Day School girls’ hockey team had a clear point of emphasis.

“The big thing for the weekend was putting the puck in the net and getting rebounds,” said PDS head coach Lorna Gifis Cook.

Senior forward and co-captain Megan Ofner took that message to heart.

On Saturday, Ofner scored three goals to help PDS top Summit 5-0 in the opening round of the event. A day later against Rye Country Day, Ofner tallied on a second period power play goal but it wasn’t enough as the Panthers fell 3-2 to the Wildcats.

While Ofner was disappointed by the final result in the title game, she was proud of how PDS competed.

“Rye is always a big competitor; we always look forward to the game,” said Ofner, who now has 94 points in her PDS career.

“Sometimes, we come out on top and other times, like today, it is heartbreaking loss. We left it on a high note in the Summit game so continuing on that high note really helped us get pumped up to play our best today.”

As a two-time captain and leading scorer, Ofner knows that PDS needs her to give her best in every way.

“I am just happy to help the team; my job is to do anything and everything I can for the team,” said Ofner. “We have a short bench so I try to do anything I can do to help them and encourage everyone.”

It has helped PDS to put Ofner together on a top line with classmate and fellow captain Ashley Egner and junior Zeeza Cole.

“Ashley and I have waited three years to be finally able to play together,” said Ofner.

“It is definitely great chemistry out there with Ashley and Zeeza. We have known each other for a while so we know how each other plays and we know how to get it done.”

Ofner and her teammates will be looking to get it done this Thursday when they host Princeton High in the latest installment of the heated local rivalry.

“We are so excited for PHS; they have been our rival for the last four years,” said Ofner. “We are pumped up and ready for that game.”

Head coach Cook likes the way Ofner pumps up the Panthers. “She is definitely the leader on the ice,” asserted Cook. “She always has a lot of energy; she is just very driven.”

The Panthers showed plenty of drive in the clash against Rye as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a goal by Lexie Fairman and then rebounded from a 2-1 deficit to knot the game at 2-2 heading into the third period.

“It was a very competitive game,” said Cook, whose team outshot the Wildcats 34-32 in falling to 2-1.

“We had a lot of energy; we just have to get a little more confident with the puck.”

Cook is looking for her veteran line of Ofner, Egner, and Cole to provide the team with a lot of energy this winter.

“I think they still need to fit into their roles a little more and get comfortable playing with each other but they are definitely coming along,” said Cook, who saw Egner notch a goal in the win over Summit.

“They have got chemistry with each other off the ice; they just need to translate that on the ice.”

Sophomores Mary Travers and Mimi Matthews are developing a chemistry as they look to be a one-two scoring punch on the second line.

“I think when Mary and Mimi can get things going and get a little bit stronger on the puck, they are going to make things happen for us,” said Cook who got a goal from Travers in the win over Summit with both of the sophomores picking up assists in the defeat to Rye.

PDS got a strong effort over the weekend from junior goalie Daisy Mase who made 10 saves in earning the shutout Saturday and then had 29 stops in a losing cause against Rye.

“Yesterday’s game for her was really tough; to not face that many shots is really difficult for a goalie,” said Cook.

“Today’s game you could tell she knew she was going to get a lot of shots. She did and she was in it the whole time. She kept us in the game.”

In Cook’s view, PDS should benefit from facing the tough competition provided by Rye.

“I do think the team took a step forward; they needed a game that really challenged them,” added Cook.

“They played well but it gives them something to go into practices with the kind of mindset that we are going to play them again and we are going to get better.”

Ofner, for her part, sees the Panthers getting better and better as the season unfolds.

“We definitely know our strengths and weaknesses better than we did in the beginning of the season,” asserted Ofner. “We are ready to act on them and continue on with a great season.”