(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) GOING GREEN: Princeton High boys’ hockey sophomore forward Will Greenberg controls the puck in recent action. Last Friday, Greenberg scored a goal to help PHS top Ewing 8-1 as it improved to 4-3-1 on the season. In upcoming action, the Little Tigers play Steinert on January 13 at Mercer County Park (MCP), Middletown North on January 14 at Baker Rink, and WW/P-N at MCP on January 15.

With Junior Forward Twining Stepping Up, PHS Boys’ Hockey Starts 2010 With a Bang

Bill Alden

Peter Twining and his teammates on the Princeton High boys’ ice hockey team started 2010 with a bang.

PHS topped Nottingham 9-1 on January 4 in its first action of the new year and then tied perennial power Notre Dame 1-1 last Wednesday.

On Friday, junior forward Twining contributed two first period goals as the Little Tigers cruised to an 8-1 win over Ewing.

Despite the team’s 2-0-1 start to 2010, Twining said PHS fell just short of what it was looking to achieve in its return from the holiday break.

“Our goal this week was to not lose a game,” said Twining, who also picked up an assist in the Ewing contest. “We wanted to go 3-0 but a tie with Notre Dame is pretty good.”

Twining was happy with the way PHS took care of business in the win over Ewing.

“We felt this is a game we wanted to win and that we should come out on top,” asserted Twining. “We got to get some of the guys in who don’t play too much.”

With two seasons under his belt, Twining is looking to give more physically and emotionally to the Little Tigers.

“I have gotten faster; I have gotten bigger,” said Twining. “Now with some of the seniors gone, I am one of the more experienced kids on the team. I feel I have to step up to that a little bit.”

The one-two scoring punch of Twining and classmate Fraser Graham has helped PHS experience success this winter.

“We have been playing together for a few years now and we work well together,” said Twining, referring to his on-ice connection with Graham.

PHS head coach Tim Campbell liked the work he got from his team as it started 2010, pointing to the tie with Notre Dame as a major step forward.

“The break served us well,” said Campbell. “We had some kids who were sick and a little banged up. We came out and had a really good week. Getting a point against Notre Dame was big. We haven’t gotten a point against Notre Dame in five years. That was huge for us; it was a confidence builder. We really are at the peak of our game right now.”

Campbell was happy to get more players into the game against Ewing as he used his full roster.

“Matt Keele got a start in goal; he had a good game; some other guys also got in,” said Campbell.

“Jasper Morgan scored tonight; he now has two goals on two shots. It’s always nice to have a complete team out there; we don’t normally play with a huge bench. When we can get everyone in, it is really nice. It’s a morale builder; it’s a team building experience.”

For Campbell, it has been nice to see Twining emerge as a star for the Little Tigers.

“Between Peter, Will Greenberg, and Fraser Graham along with Dean DiTosto and Griffin Peck on defense; those guys are the backbone of this team,” said Campbell.

“I told Peter on Monday that literally as a coach, it is just fun to watch him skate and see how he has developed over the past three years from his freshman year.”

With PHS playing Steinert on January 13 at Mercer County Park (MCP), Middletown North on January 14 at Baker Rink, and WW/P-N at MCP on January 15, Campbell will need his core players to step up physically and mentally if the team is to keep rolling.

“We need to focus on staying out of the penalty box because our bench is so short,” added Campbell.

“When we go on the power play, we need to capitalize. When our forecheck is working, it is basically unbreakable. I don’t know if they can read it in my eyes or see the look on my face but they know when it is time to focus. At this point in the relationship that I have with these kids, they know when it’s business time.”

Twining, for his part, believes that the Little Tigers will take a business-like approach as they look to keep above the .500 record needed to clinch a berth in the state tournament.

“If we come out on top in all of our games next week, that would be really good,” said Twining. “One of our big goals this year is to make it to states. I think we need to win five more games. It would be nice to pick up three wins next week.”

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