BRINGING IT: Princeton High boys’ hockey player John Zammit brings the puck up the ice in recent action. Last Wednesday, senior star forward and assistant captain Zammit tallied two goals and three assists as PHS defeated the West Windsor/Plainsboro Hockey Co-op 10-0. On Friday, Zammit contributed a goal and an assist to help PHS defeat Paul VI 9-5. The Tigers, who lost 7-3 to Gov. Livingston last Saturday to move to 14-3-3, play Paul VI on February 11 at the Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

John Zammit and his teammates on the Princeton High boys’ hockey team brought some extra fire to the ice as they faced the West Windsor/Plainsboro Hockey Co-op last Wednesday.

Coming off a week which saw a shorthanded PHS squad suffer a 2-1 loss to Robbinsville-Allentown on January 26 and tie Hopewell Valley 4-4 on January 25, the Tigers were primed to reassert their dominance.

“It was a shock to us, we wanted to make a statement,” said senior forward and assistant captain Zammit, referring to the defeat to Robbinsville-Allentown.

“We are still the undisputed No. 1 in the CVC so we had to make sure that is clear.”

In the game against WW/P, Zammit got things going, tallying a goal 1:42 into the contest on an assist by Cooper Zullo.

“Me and Zullo have really been developing our chemistry,” said Zammit. “I was just coming down the wing and I saw an open spot so I took the shot and it went in.”

PHS kept coming, cruising to a 10-0 triumph. “Our offense is starting to click and we are starting to sense each other’s movements and where we like to play more,” said Zammit, who ended up with two goals and three assists in the victory

“Once we get the first goal going, it is just a snowball thing. We are definitely working on being more consistent with those shots,  keeping it low, shooting for rebounds. We are just improving every day.”

The line of Zammit, Zullo and freshman Brendan Beatty has been improving as the season has gone on. Zullo contributed two goals and two assists against WW/P while Beatty tallied a goal and two assists.

“We have played pretty much the entire season together,” said Zammit. “We don’t play club together too so this is all we have.”

With PHS currently at 14-3-3, Zammit believes the squad is poised to excel in the upcoming county and state tournaments.

“I think we are suited for a really good run this year,” said Zammit. “We just need to clean up the bad habits a little bit and just really hammer down consistency because that is ultimately what it is going to come down to in the end.”
Serving as an assistant captain along with classmate John O’Donnell and junior Zullo handling the captain duties, Zammit has enjoyed his leadership role.
“It is also important to help the younger guys out and make sure that they are ready for it too,” said Zammit. “We need to teach them, help them out, that is also our job too. It has been a pleasure to work with Cooper and John. We are really tight in school, we are good friends and so it doesn’t feel like a job. It is really family. The whole team is like a little family.”

As PHS plays Paul VI on February 11 at the Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees before getting into postseason action, Zammit is ready to make a big final push to his PHS career.

“I want to make the most of it, any senior’s dream is making a run in states and winning the MCTs,” said Zammit.

“Experience and maturity is the biggest thing and that is what we are trying to hammer down to the younger guys too. It is just to be confident, play with strength and just make the most of every shift. That is what it comes down to.”