LOCKED IN: Princeton High boys’ hockey player Ethan Garlock, left, goes after the puck in recent action. Senior forward and assistant captain Garlock tallied two goals, including the game-winner, and added an assist as PHS defeated Brick 6-5 on December 20 at Hobey Baker Rink as it held its annual Senior Night celebration. The Tigers, now 3-1, are next in action when they face Ocean Township on January 2 at the Mercer County Skating Center. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton High boys’ hockey team hosting Brick at Hobey Baker Rink last week for its annual Senior Night celebration, Ethan Garlock brought some extra fire to the ice.

“It was a lot of fun, when your family shows out, you have a lot more to play for, a lot more to fight for,” said PHS senior forward and assistant captain Garlock, who was joined by his parents, grandparents, older sister Genna, older brother Max, a former Tiger hockey standout, and younger brother Ryan, a current freshman forward for the Tigers, as members of the Class of 2023 and their families were honored on the ice after the second period of the December 20 contest.

“It made it a lot easier for me and the other seniors to work our hardest and eventually put the puck in the net,” continued Garlock. “It makes it feel a lot nicer especially to be on Baker Rink. It makes it feel really special, we know we only get a couple of ice slots on this rink so we really have to make it count.”

The Tigers had quite a fight with Brick, trailing 1-0, 2-3 and 3-2 before taking a 4-3 lead late in the second period. The contest was then knotted at 4-4 and 5-5 in the third before Garlock scored the winning goal with a minute left in regulation to give PHS a hard-earned 6-5 triumph.

“I feel like we did really well fighting; we moved the puck well, our goaltending was phenomenal, we couldn’t ask for more,” said Garlock in
assessing the victory that improved the Tigers to 3-1. “We knew coming into this game that we were going to have to put in more than a couple of goals to win this hockey game and that is what we did. I am very proud of our boys.”

In reflecting on the winning goal, Garlock credited two of his fellow seniors, Julian Drezner and Gabe Silverstein, with setting him up for the tally.

“We knew we had to buckle down and that is what we did; we didn’t have much time left, we had to keep fighting and luckily one went in for us,” said Garlock, who ended up with two goals and assist in the win. “I saw Julian and Gabe push the puck out and I just ripped it and prayed for the best. I can only hope that it goes in. Their goalie was really good and I was just lucky to put one past him.”

The Tigers have been showing depth in getting off to a good start this winter.

“I am really happy with all of our lines and how we can trust everybody to go on the ice and do their job and work hard,” said Garlock. “We don’t have to worry about guys making bad mistakes or letting up bad goals that shouldn’t happen. I am really happy about how we can trust our guys and roll with the lines here.”

For Garlock, following in the footsteps of his older brother Max in serving as one of the captains of the squad has been special.

“It is a big honor, I am really grateful,” said Garlock. “I like to get the boys going, build everybody up and give everyone confidence. I want to let everyone know that they can provide for this team and make everybody feel included and a part of this victory.”

Garlock is enjoying making his little brother Ryan feel like a bigger part of the team.

“It is a lot of fun, I had my older brother play with me and mentor me,” said Garlock. “It is nice to be able to do the same for my little brother, to teach him, help him out and help him reduce the mistakes that I may have made my freshman year.”

As a senior, Garlock is looking to use his size and maturity to be more of a force for the Tigers.

“This year, I am working on being a lot more physical in the corners,” said Garlock. “Knowing I am bigger than the guy I am going against, I can use my body and put him on the ground.”

PHS head coach Rik Johnson was not surprised to see his seniors come up big against Brick as senior captain Cooper Zullo tallied two goals and an assist in the win with senior Drezner chipping in two assists and two other seniors, Silverstein and Nico Vitaro, each picking up an assist.

“This is only the second year I have been with them, they are a good group, they are tight-knit,” said Johnson. “I really just have to point them in the right direction and they can take it from there.”

In the win over Brick, PHS got headed in the right
direction when it tallied three goals in the second period.

“We started moving the shifts a little quicker, everybody getting out there,” said Johnson. “They really got down to the fundamentals, moving the puck and putting them in.”

Johnson credited the Green Dragons with pushing the Tigers to the final horn.

“They kept on nipping at us and we had to fight back but that is a great game for Senior Night,” said Johnson.

“We earned it. There were a few bad mistakes. We made up for it, we came back.”

The pair of Zullo and Garlock has been making a great impact this winter.

“They are the leaders of the team; Cooper plays a ton of minutes, I have to yell at him to get off the ice,” said Johnson with a laugh. “Ethan had a great game. He is not a rah-rah type of guy, his play is all on the ice and the guys seem to fall in line.”

Sophomore goalie Noah Vitulli, who made nine saves against Brick, has been playing well lately.

“Noah gets better and better every game,” said Johnson. “I pulled him aside today and told him just track that puck, you are the quarterback. He did a great job, he buckled down.”

With PHS next in action when they face Ocean Township on January 2 at the Mercer County Skating Center, Johnson is looking for the Tigers to keep buckling down.

“We take each team as if they are undefeated, you can’t take anybody lightly,” said Johnson. “We are trying to get a deeper squad where we can roll four lines and three lines of defense. Everybody is chipping in — it is really all over the place.”

Garlock, for his part, believes that the squad’s performance in the win over Brick can be a harbinger of things to come.

“I think we are going to have a lot more confidence but we are not going to be too cocky,” said Garlock. “We are going to play our game, do what we can do, and keep going from there. I am really happy with how we played today, I think we just have to play the exact same way.”