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Rossi Leaving Everything on Ice As PDS Boys' Hockey Stifles Foes
By Bill Alden
Peter Rossi is determined to leave everything on the ice this winter as he plays in his final season with the Princeton Day School boys' ice hockey team.
The gritty senior defenseman and team captain has not only distinguished himself through his bruising play in front of the goal, he has emerged as a potent offensive threat having scored 12 points for the 11-3 Panthers.
"I've really had to step it up this year," said the curly-haired Rossi last Friday after picking up a goal in PDS' 7-1 whipping of previously undefeated Hun at Hamilton's Ice Land. "There was always a big hitter on the team. When Sully (John Sullivan) left after last year, it came to me. I've had to step up my physical play while I step up being a leader."
Rossi has also made a conscious effort to be a true two-way player. "I'm playing the power play more, taking a bigger offensive role," added Rossi, who has fired in four goals so far this season for PDS. "For me, 12 points is the most I've had at this time of the season."
The scoring is nice but Rossi knows that aggressive defense is his bread and butter. "The defensive effort all year by me, Laddie Sanford, Mike Crowley, and John Siemann has been pretty good," said Rossi, whose face bears the cuts that testify to his toughness in skirmishes around the net and on the boards.
"I think that there has been more than 10 shots on us in only three games. We work a lot on transition on defense and keeping the puck from coming back in the zone and letting them set it up."
PDS head coach Chris Barcless believes Rossi is reaching a higher level as he winds up his PDS career. "Peter has been playing great, he understands what we want," added Barcless, who got three goals from Will Denise and two from Keith Nelson in his club's dismantling of Hun. "His skills and knowledge of the game have grown tremendously. His offensive numbers are very good, He's a senior leader.
In Barcless' view, the Panthers' success this season stems from a focus on defense. "Our defense has been our strength all year," said Barcless, whose club outshot Hun 36-9 in dropping the Raiders to 9-1 and will host Hill on January 28 and Don Bosco on January 30 before playing at Portledge on February 2.
"We build our system, our play, not only around our defensemen but our defensive coverage all over the ice. We keep the puck out of our zone and set things up in the neutral zone. We win games 3-1, 3-2, 2-1 so we don't score a lot of goals. In order to win hockey games, we've got to make sure we give up even less."
The team's superb run can also be attributed to the team's desire to get the most out of its potential. "It's just a great group of kids, they're overachievers," asserted Barcless, who has guided the program to six straight state Prep B crowns.
"They understand the system, they understand what I'm telling them. They're working hard, we go through the game videos and every kid is there. They believe in each other. In my seven years here, this has probably been my most enjoyable."
Rossi is enjoying his last go-around at PDS. "This is the closest team I've been on in my four years here," declared Rossi, who is looking to continue his hockey career in college, likely at a Division III program.
"This is the first time that the freshmen hang out with the seniors, that's what really builds team unity. That's why we're playing above our heads, we all believe in each other."
