(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski) BREAKING FREE: Princeton Day School girls’ hockey star Megan Ofner goes on a breakaway in recent action. Last Thursday, junior captain and forward Ofner scored three goals to help PDS top Princeton High 5-1. The Panthers, now 4-2-3, host Hill on January 19 and then play at Rye Country Day on January 21 and at Lansdale Catholic on January 24.

With Ofner Providing Leadership, Production, PDS Girls’ Hockey Headed in Right Direction

Bill Alden

Megan Ofner’s competitive juices got flowing after her Princeton Day School girls’ hockey fell behind Princeton High in the early going last Thursday.

“PHS is our biggest rival and getting behind in the first five minutes was definitely a real shock,” said junior forward Ofner. “It wakes you up and it really, really fueled the fire to our game today.”

Ofner’s offensive brilliance fueled a PDS rally as she scored a goal to start a run of three unanswered tallies for the Panthers over the rest of the first period. She then added a goal in each of the last two periods to get a hat trick and spark PDS to a 5-1 triumph.

In reflecting on the win, Ofner acknowledged that the Panthers eventually got clicking.

“It took a little while for our forwards to get heated up,” said Ofner. “But once we opened up and saw the ice, we were able to pass, shoot, and score. My aim for that was to help fire the team up because once we start, we just keep going.”

As a junior captain, Ofner feels an extra responsibility this season to get the Panthers going.

“When I was told I was going to be captain, Kat [PDS head coach Kat Smithson] told me it is your responsibility to be responsible for the team in warm-up and to get everyone fired up,” said Ofner, who has a team-high 18 points on 14 goals and four assists.

“I feel like being captain has helped me to motivate everyone. I love it. I think I can give the most to the team this way.”

Ofner gives her heart and soul to the game, training like a demon and playing travel hockey.

“On season, off season, I am always in the gym,” said Ofner. “I also play for the New Jersey Rockets travel team. It is two teams and it takes some balance. It’s the greatest thing in the world and I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

PDS head coach Smithson feels she is getting some great things from Ofner as a player and a leader.

“I think Megan really energizes the forwards and defense; she drives hard to the net,” said Smithson, whose team improved to 4-2-3 with the win over PHS.

“If she doesn’t have a good shift, she is disappointed. She wants to play hard, shoot well, and pass well. She has grown tremendously as a leader; she realizes the responsibility and seriousness of being captain. She is all ears to what the team needs and wants. She keeps an open mind and wants to please the team.”

Smithson was pleased by how her team overcame the early deficit to PHS.

“That was a wake-up call absolutely,” said Smithson, who got goals from Mary Travers and Carly O’Brien in addition to Ofner’s hat trick.

“That caught our kids by surprise and we were on our heels. They snapped back well. They showed a sense of urgency and stepped up to the plate.”

Freshman Travers and senior O’Brien have been stepping up all season long. “Mary plays like an upperclassman; she is very mature and coachable,” said Smithson, who has gotten 16 points on 11 goals and five assists from Travers this season with O’Brien chipping in a goal and two assists.

“She has a positive attitude. She is relentless on the puck; if she loses it she gets up and goes right back after it. Carly is our go-to physical player. She infuses the team with a lot of energy. When she drives to the net, she is a threat.”

The team is also getting energized by some good play at goalie from starter Daisy Mase and back-up Lucy Marquez.

“Having Daisy and Lucy as goalies gives the team confidence,” said Smithson, whose team has given up a total of 27 goals this season.

“Daisy, in particular, is a goalie who communicates and helps the team go from back to front. She helps with the break out and the defensive zone coverage.”

Smithson believes her team is headed in the right direction. “We are in a good position,” said Smithson, whose club hosts Hill on January 19 and then plays at Rye Country Day on January 21 and at Lansdale Catholic on January 24.

“The team knows what they need to work on, things like passing and utilizing the points more. They need to be more aggressive on the corners and get their bodies behind the puck. In the beginning of the season, they were reaching for it, rather than moving their feet and getting behind it.”

In Ofner’s view, the team’s recent two-game set at the Shady Side Academy in western Pennsylvania helped give it some extra inspiration to do better.

“I think with our weekend trip to Pittsburgh, everyone came together and bonded,” said Ofner.

“We have a great team chemistry that I haven’t seen in my past two years here. We are friends on and off the ice.”

Return to Previous Sports Story | Return to Top | Go to Next Story