Two late goals lead to OT defeat
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
The Princeton University men’s ice hockey team left Minnesota with their broken hearts Sunday, one minute away from their first NCAA tournament win.
The Tigers held a two-goal lead after 59 minutes of West Regional play against Minnesota-Duluth on Friday night only to see the Bulldogs score twice in the final 40 seconds of play and then net the game-winner seven minutes into overtime.
”You’re mad,” said PU head coach Guy Gadowsky. “Most of all, you’re sort of stunned.”
Brett Wilson, one of three Princeton seniors, scored twice in his final game for the Tigers. His first goal of the game tied the game, 1-1, seconds before the first period ended. After Derrick Pallis’ goal started the second period, Wilson’s second goal of the game gave the Tigers their first two-goal advantage. Brandan Kushniruk, another PU senior, gave them a 4-2 lead in the third period, but the Tigers couldn’t hold it.
”We didn’t let up,” said Gadowsky after his team finished the season 22-12-1. “We played very well.”
A late penalty, though, cost the Tigers a chance at their first NCAA tournament victory in program history. Matt Godlewski, who assisted on Wilson’s first goal, was called for high-sticking with 1:05 left in regulation.
”I thought we were playing great right up until a questionable call on Godlewski,” Gadowsky said. “We were playing well up until that point. If the game was tied, there’s no way that call would ever be made. We’re up by two, and I still don’t know why that call was made. They pulled their goalie, and the puck got across the crease.”
The Bulldogs’ goal on a 6-on-4 advantage with 40 seconds to play brought them within one of the Tigers. Evan Oberg then sent it to overtime with a goal with 0.8 seconds left.
”Zane Kalemba made exactly the right play,” Gadowsky said of is junior goalie, who stopped 30 shots. “He threw it behind the net instead of covering it to give them a face-off in the zone. We had to win that race to the puck. Somehow it popped out in the front right to a stick.”
In overtime, it was another power-play goal for the Bulldogs that won it. Princeton had just two power-play chances all game to the Bulldogs’ six, though the Tigers led the nation in the fewest amount of penalties per game. Giving Minnesota-Duluth an extra advantage hurt Princeton’s chances.
”They were third in the nation on the power play,” Gadowsky said. “We’re the least penalized team in the country, but the power plays were 6-2. And they needed a power play to tie it and to score an overtime goal.
”I don’t think our guys let up one bit. This is the team that won the WCHA. We came out and if that penalty isn’t called, we could have had an empty net and we could have won, 5-2, and people would have talked about it being a 5-2 win and our best of the season. And we had two breakaways. You take away what happened that last minute and the team played great.”
It may take some time, but the Tigers will come to realize all that they did accomplish this season. Their 22 wins is a program best.
”Right now, we just arrived back in Princeton after losing the way we did,” Gadowsky said Sunday. “You’re hurt. You’re mad. But this is the first time the Princeton hockey program ever got an at-large bid. In many ways, that’s much more impressive than what did last year. To be an at-large team, to have to be good all year long and have the most wins in program history, it shows something.
”I know when the pain goes away from the loss to Duluth, I know I’ll be extremely proud to look back at how they did. They should be very, very, very proud.”
The Tigers can hope for another chance next season, though they will lose their three special seniors. Hobey Baker finalist for the nation’s top player Lee Jubinville along with Kushniruk, who was credited with doing all the little things to help the Tigers win, and Wilson, who is just the 12th player in PU history to score 100 career points. The three were captains of the finest team to ever wear the Orange and Black. They committed to join the Tigers when they had won just eight games in two previous seasons combined.
”I’m really proud of where this program is,” Gadowsky said. “They deserve a lot of credit for where this program is right now.”
There will be plenty returning for the Tigers, and not one of them will forget their experience in Friday’s NCAA tournament.
”The reality is it stings now,” Gadowsky said. “We have a bad taste in our mouth. Maybe it’s extra motivation to say we can do this. We’re going to learn a lesson from this. I don’t know what it is, but we’ll sit and evaluate. Hopefully we’ll figure it out and have it benefit us if we’re fortunate to get back.”

