(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption: LATE RUSH: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey senior star Clint O’Brien rushes up the ice in action last winter. PDS will be depending on O’Brien to provide offensive production as it looks to recapture the state Prep title this season. PDS starts its 2007-08 season on November 28 when it hosts Holy Ghost.

PDS Boys’ Hockey Relying on Veterans as Bertoli Starts Second Year at Helm

Bill Alden

Scott Bertoli had a lot on his plate last winter as he took the helm of the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey program.

The former Princeton University hockey star was still playing full time with the Trenton Titans (now Trenton Devils) of the ECHL as he learned the ropes in his first-ever coaching job.

Bertoli was forced to miss some PDS games and practices in order to fulfill his obligations with the Titans.

This winter, Bertoli will give his undivided attention to the Panthers as he has retired from playing and has taken a job as the PDS assistant athletic director.

As Bertoli looks forward to his second campaign, which will start with a home game against Holy Ghost on November 28, he can already see that his full-time presence on campus has made a difference.

“It has changed my relationship with the players,” said Bertoli. “I am able to get to know then on a much deeper level.”

The affable Bertoli acknowledged that there were some bumps in the road as he took the reins for the program from longtime head coach Chris Barcless, who guided the Panthers to eight Prep titles in nine seasons.

“It was a transition year,” said Bertoli, whose club went 12-8-3 last winter, falling in the state Prep semifinals but going on to win the PDS Invitational. “Some of the kids had played for Chris for three years. They were used to doing things in a certain way and it wasn’t easy for them.”

With PDS having lost five players to graduation and four others transferring, Bertoli is looking to ease the transition for the newcomers to the starting lineup.

“That’s really important this year,” said Bertoli. “We have so many new kids; we’re very inexperienced.”

Bertoli believes his returning players learned some valuable lessons as they bounced back from the defeat to Morristown-Bear in the Prep semifinals to finish strongly.

“The team played some of its best hockey after that,” said Bertoli. “We won our tournament. They were excited to do that; they’ve won that less frequently than the Prep tournament.”

PDS has some exciting offensive players in junior forwards Michael Darrar and John Inman together with senior star Clint O’Brien.

“They will be the key guys,” said Bertoli. “We’ll count on them to score on the power play and at even strength.”

Bertoli is also counting on getting a lift from freshman Schuyler Semse and seniors Jake Lipkin and Carson Bird.

“Schuyler is big for a freshman; he has played on a good club team,” added Bertoli. “Jake and Carson both played football; they are physical and we need that.”

PDS will need some good physical play from senior defensemen Jon Gatarz and Eric Donovan.

“Jon Gatarz is our only returning senior starter on defense,” added Bertoli.

“Eric Donovan played his freshman and sophomore year but didn’t play last season. Now he’s back and he looks good out there. Jon and Eric will be out there a lot.”

PDS has two goalies who are looking good in juniors Nick Jabs and Kenny Turner.

“Nick will be the No. 1 guy at the beginning because of his play last year but the job is wide open,” said Bertoli.

“If one guy goes cold, we can go with the other one. Both guys are very capable, it’s a nice luxury to have.”

The two tenders bring different things to the table. “When Jabs is on, he’s focused and prepared,” said Bertoli. “He can’t get discouraged at a bad goal. It’s not the goalie’s fault a lot of the time. He has the potential to be a big-time goalie. Kenny is smaller but he’s very athletic and very competitive. He’s great at practice; he forces the shooter to do their very best.”

PDS will employ a less freewheeling style than in past seasons to try to be at its best.

“Last year we had more talent and we could just let the kids play,” said Bertoli. “We’re a little limited up front; we’re looking to win low-scoring games. We need to be more solid defensively and hold our spots.”

Bertoli, for his part, is hoping that the program can regain its spot atop the prep scene. “It’s a great group of kids, we are all excited,” asserted Bertoli. “We have some goals we have talked about; we want to win the Preps again and we want to win our own tournament.”

The Panthers, though, have little room for error if they are to make those goals a reality.

“The guys we are relying on to score have to have good years. If one of them goes cold, it will be a problem,” said Bertoli.

“There will be a lot of pressure on them; I think they know it and like that responsibility. A lot will also depend on how quickly our defensive corps comes together.”

But with Bertoli around on a full-time basis, things could come together well for the Panthers.

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