Led by its dominant scoring line and overcoming years of past failures at historic Lynah Rink, Princeton skated to a 3-2 victory at Cornell on Friday night. The Tigers had not won on the Big Red’s rink since the 1994-1995 season.
“I think we got into their kind of game tonight, really. Up and down hockey, maybe it’s exciting for the fans, but we gave up too many odd-man rushes. On the other end, we couldn’t convert on our own offensive chances. This was just not typical of our team, and we will have to get better,†said Cornell head coach Mike Schafer.
Junior Lee Jubinville had two goals and an assist for the Tigers, while line mate Cam McIntyre netted the game winner with just over three minutes to go in addition to his two helpers. Linemate Brett Wilson was not to be outdone, tallying two assists of his own. Just a week after scoring ten points in a 6-2 win against Yale, the trio recorded all eight Princeton in pushing the Red to a disappointing 0-2 start.
“They have been playing very well, but we really don’t have a top line. They have certainly been hot lately, but Jubinville is an even better defensive player than offensive player. He is just huge for our team in every zone on the ice,†said Tigers head coach Guy Gadowsky.
In a first period where neither team could generate any sustained momentum on offense, Princeton was able to find the back of the net for the lone goal of the frame. After moving the puck around the offensive zone, MacIntyre slid the puck down low to Wilson. Wilson then fired the puck to Lee Jubinville, who had been camping out in the slot.
Left undefended, the talented Jubinville wasted no time in burying a wrist shot high past Troy Davport’s outstretched glove. After securing an early lead just 6:29 into the frame, Princeton (2-0, 1-0 ECAC) would never trail.
The Red, however, would eventually find its offensive gears. Just over five minutes into the second period, Cornell generated several chances to score on the power play, but could not find the back of the net. A couple of point-shots from the stick of freshman Mike Devin narrowly missed beating goalie Zane Kalemba.
Immediately following the power play, however, Princeton coughed up the puck at the top of its defensive zone. Red captain Topher Scott scooped up the puck and with nothing but a helpless Zalemba in front of him, pulled a nice fake before burying a wrister in the back of the net to tie the score at one.
“Christmas came early for me. He put it right on my stick, and I was just clear in on goal. I knew he was playing deep in his net, so I made a move and I knew
I had to get it high,†Scott said.
Princeton, though, did not take long to respond. With 33 seconds remaining in a power play and heavy traffic in front of Cornell goalie Troy Davenport, a bouncing puck found its way onto the stick of Jubinville, who buried it in the back of net to give Princeton a 2-1 lead 12:37 into the second frame.
While Cornell (0-2, 0-1 ECAC) started the third period slowly, it would eventually muster up enough offensive firepower to tie the game. Freshman Riley Nash, a first round pick of the Edmonton Oilers, was battling hard in the corners, out-muscling his opponents and controlling the puck. Nash sent the puck in front of the net to Colin Greening, who passed to Evan Barlow. Barlow, in a scramble, managed to get just enough wood on the puck to put it over an outstretched Kalemba and knot the game at two.
The Red would continue the pressure, looking like the better team at points in the third. Joe Scali put a brilliant deke on Kalemba, almost taking the lead with 6:30 to go, but could not finish. After sloppy neutral zone play by Cornell, however, MacIntyre came streaking into the Red zone and shot a slow, low wrister that fooled Davenport and gave Princeton the lead for good with under four minutes remaining.
“Troy obviously wishes he had that one back, but what are you going to do. It’s a good chance to go back, watch it on video, make a decision and learn from it,†Schafer said.
Davenport seemed to struggle with the puck all night, looking shaky with loose and bouncing pucks. On several occasions, Princeton nearly capitalized on misplayed pucks by the Big Red’s netminder.
Cornell outshot Princeton 28-22, but could not capitalize on its numerous chances. Princeton went 1-8 on the power play, while the Red struggled, going 0-4.
