FULL SPEED AHEAD: Princeton University women’s hockey player Emerson O’Leary races up the ice in a game last season. Junior forward O’Leary figures to be an offensive catalyst for the Tigers this season. Princeton opens up its 2024-25 campaign by playing at Robert Morris on October 18 and 19. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

The Princeton University women’s hockey team will feel a void this winter with the graduation of superstar forward Sarah Fillier, an Olympic gold medalist with Canada’s women’s national squad and the fourth all-time scorer in program history (194 points on 93 goals and 101 assists).

But the exit of Fillier will open things up for the Tiger veterans and newcomers.

“It is always a double-edged sword when you have such a talented player,” said Princeton head coach Cara Morey, who guided the Tigers to a 14-12-6 record last winter. “People tend to defer a lot to her on and off the ice and now there is no one to defer to so they have all elevated their game.”

A quintet of junior forwards — Izzy Wunder (8 goals, 27 assists in 2023-24), Emerson O’Leary (7 goals, 25 assists), Jane Kuehl (7 goals, 7 assists), Katharine Khramstov (2 goals, 5 assists) and Sarah Paul (16 goals, 7 assists) — are bringing a lot of game to the ice this winter.

“They all look really good, that class is loaded,” said Morey, whose team opens its 2024-25 campaign by playing at Robert Morris (3-3) on October 18 and 19. “Izzy, Emerson, and Jane are playing together right now. KK is a really talented, high end offensive skill kid. Sarah is playing with two freshmen right now, Mac Alexander who is on the development team for Team Canada and Angelina DiGirolamo. They look really good.”

In addition to the corps of juniors, senior captain Mia Coene (1 goal, 3 assists) should also provide some offensive production. “Mia looks really good,” added Morey. “She just works her butt off all of the time and she is being a great leader off the ice. She is a big part of our puzzle.”

The pair of sophomore Gabby Kim (3 goals, 10 assists) and senior Dominique Cormier (8 assists) will play a big role on defense along with sophomore Maggie Johnson (2 goals, 3 assists) and freshmen Rosie Klein and Brooklyn Nimegeers.

“Gabby looks very good and Dom looks really good,” said Morey. “Maggie also looks good. Both of our freshmen, Rosie and Brooklyn, look really good. Rosie really is impressing us right off the bat. She is just really mobile, really smart, and has a really great shot.”

At goalie, the Tigers boast three battle-tested veterans in sophomore Uma Corniea (2.30 goals against average and .909 save percentage in 2023-24), senior Jennifer Olnowich (2.27 goals against average .914 save percentage), and junior Taylor Hyland (2.75 goals against average, .875 save percentage).

With Corniea currently sidelined, Olnowich and Hyland have been splitting time between the pipes.

“Jen and Taylor both look really good right now,” said Morey. “We will have to see how the Friday night game with RMU goes and we will make a decision after that for the next day. It is probably going to be a day-to-day thing.”

In Morey’s view, having talent all over the ice should help things go well for the Tigers this winter.

“I think the key is that we play a certain style, it is fast and aggressive,” said Morey. “It is having everyone buying into that hard way of playing hockey. I think the bonus is going to be that you are going to see offense out of all three lines with time for our fourth line. The depth is there this year. You are not just going to be watching for one line and then a big drop off. We have many forwards, many defenders, and many goalies that are ready to go. You are going to see a lot of different names this year.”

Looking ahead to opening weekend, Morey believes that being on the road should be a good bonding experience for her squad.

“It is always tricky when they are going to be in their seventh game and this going to be our first,” said Morey. “I think it is fun to start with a road trip to get the team away from everything and get them into the hockey mindset with nothing else around them.”