NEW DAY: Princeton University men’s hockey player Noah de la Durantaye controls the puck in a 2022 game. Senior star defenseman de la Durantaye figure to spearhead things along the blue line this Princeton. The Tigers open their 2024-25 campaign by hosting Harvard on November 8 and Dartmouth on November 9 as new Princeton head coach Ben Syer makes this debut behind the bench for the program. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

During his 13-year tenure as an assistant coach for the Cornell University men’s hockey team, Ben Syer helped the Big Red consistently rank as one of the top defensive squads in the country.

Cornell averaged 2.21 goals allowed-per-game, ranking third among all Division I programs over the past 13 seasons. In addition, the Big Red ranked in the top ten in in scoring defense nine times and twice led the country in that statistic (2017-18, 2023-24).

As Syer has taken the helm of the Princeton University men’s hockey team, he is looking to instill those principles to his new squad that is coming off a season that saw the Tigers yield 3.8 goals a game.

“I think a key is the consistency within our habits and our details, things that are in each and every everyone’s control,” said Syer, who is succeeding Ron Fogarty. “It is being physical, playing with sticks down, that is certainly something we need to continue to improve on. Then also just having consistency in our effort away from the puck as well. Lastly, it is being able to protect the puck. That puck is like gold and treat it as such. It is hard to get it so don’t give it away.”

With Princeton set to open its 2024-25 campaign by hosting Harvard on November 8 and Dartmouth on November 9, Syer likes the way his players have been responding.

“It has been going good,” said Syer, who is taking over a program that went 10-16-4 overall and 8-11-3 ECAC Hockey last winter. “It has been a lot of fun working with them. We have seen a lot of really good things and still have a lot of work to do.”

The Tigers have produced some good work in the preseason, topping the University of Waterloo 6-0 in an exhibition game on October 26 and playing hard in some scrimmages.

“We have a great compete, we have a real desire to improve and get better,” said Syer in assessing how the preseason has gone. “We have seen that within the scrimmages and the exhibition which has been great.”

While defense is Syer’s calling card, he has paid plenty of attention to the other end of the ice.

“We have been working on defense but at the same token we are spending a great deal of time working on the offensive side of it, trying to track the two of them together,” said Syer. “I feel like there has been a real buy-in. There is more and more comfort in that area and the way that we want to play.”

At forward, sophomore Kai Daniells (8 goals, 11 assists in 2023-24), senior Jack Cronin (11 goals, eight assists), sophomore Carson Buydens (2 goals, 1 assist), junior David Jacobs (7 goals, 17 assists), and junior Brendan Gorman (7 goals, 17 assists) along with freshmen Drew Garzone and Jake Manfre have been playing well.

“Kai had a very good freshman year last year, we would expect him to be able produce here as well,” said Syer. “Cronin is playing right now with Daniells and Buydens. Drew has done a really nice job here as a freshman coming in, winning some face-offs here and giving us a little bit of a look there. Jake has done a really nice job, he has started to play a little bit here with David and Brendan to give us some of that balance.”

Senior star Noah de la Durantaye (3 goals, 15 assists) figures to be spearheading the Princeton defensive unit.

“Noah has had a really good fall here, he started by asking about some attention to detail and stuff like that,” said Syer. “I see a guy who is trying to really round out his game and play on both sides of the puck. He certainly has some flashes of the skill that shows itself in his ability to be able to break pucks out. I have been very happy with him so far.”

In addition, Syer has been happy with the play of some other veteran defensemen like junior David Ma, who was sidelined last season due to injury, sophomore Ian Devlin (1 assist), and junior Nick Marciano (2 goals).

“Ma is a guy that wants to get better every time he gets on the ice, that is what we need from him because that bleeds over to the other guys,” said Syer. “I thought Devlin showed a poise and a calmness on the scrimmage with Cornell. He didn’t play a ton last year early on, it is nice to be able to see him show some things here. Nick was a guy who was a little more in and out last year. We have been really happy with his progress this year, we need to continue to see growth in his game.”

The Tigers boast a trio of experienced goalies in senior Ethan Pearson (4.05 goals against average, .855 save percentage in 2023-24), sophomore Arthur Smith (2.96 goals against average, .899 save percentage), and sophomore Conor Callaghan (5.02 goals against average, .853 save percentage).

With Callaghan currently out due to injury, Pearson and Smith have been battling for time between the pipes.

“I have really been happy with their level of compete over the last couple of weeks,” said Syer of Pearson and Smith. “That is an area that we want to be enhanced with that effort as they are competing here day in, day out. It is nice to have some experience. That confidence is something that is earned by your performance day in, day out. They have been doing a good job in practice and I am looking for that to continue. We haven’t gotten to the point where we say hey you are the guy or there is a rotation. We are evaluating them day in, day out in terms of where each of them are at.”

As Syer has gotten a handle on the Tigers, he likes the way they are competing collectively in training. “I am continuing to learn about our guys day in, day out here,” said Syer. “It has been fun because I think the guys know how important practice is to be able to show consistency.”

Looking ahead to opening weekend, Syer is hoping that the Tigers will put on a good show as they face arch rivals Harvard and Dartmouth.

“We will be excited, they are obviously two great teams that will be coming to us here,” said Syer. “We will be ready to roll. You don’t have to explain who is coming to town when Harvard and Dartmouth are coming.”