Panthers hockey tops veteran PHS
By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
A quick 2-0 start to the season had the Princeton High School girls ice hockey team feeling optimistic about their early-season matchup with Princeton Day School.
The Little Tigers opened the season with wins over Pingry and Summit before falling to Portledge and Morristown-Beard. The Little Tigers scored nine goals in the two wins and had 13 in the four games prior to Wednesday’s matchup with the Panthers. But the PDS defense was a little too much for Princeton this time around as Katie Alden made 12 saves for the shutout in a 3-0 Panther win.
”It was a good start but this was the one we probably cared the most about,” Princeton coach Christian Herzog said. “Even when we went into the locker room after the second period down two goals the girls were still positive. They know that it only takes three bounces going our way and anything is possible. We just didn’t really challenge their goalie with the exception of the last two or three minutes of the third period and a couple minutes in the second period.”
PDS got the only goal it would need when Kristi Serafin scored late in the opening period. Kiely French added a goal in the second period before Serafin closed out the scoring with a goal in the third period to lift the Panthers to 3-3 on the season.
”We feel pretty good coming off of last year,” said Serafin, a defenseman who shares the team lead with three goals this season. “We lost some seniors who were key players but I think we’re going to have a good season. We have a pretty big senior class and they are good leaders.
”We knew (Princeton) was going to come out and want to beat us because we’re from the same area. They have some more club players and they are better this year so we were looking at it to be a close game.”
Princeton has been making steady progress over the last couple of years and with a senior-laden team this year has hopes for its best season yet. The measuring stick when it comes to progress is PDS, whom the Little Tigers will face again on Jan. 5 when they return from break.
”We were real hyped coming in and the girls were feeling real positive about their chances,” Herzog said. “We still have to work on some little things. The girls are still hopeful and confident. This is one game.
”Last year we only had wins against Academy of New Church and they are not in our league. This year we started off with two wins. Last year the focus for them was having fun. I told them we have eight seniors this year. This is the year we have the strongest collective group. Hopefully we can build on those first two wins.”
The offense has certainly been better for the Little Tigers. Sophomore Maggie Herring leads the team with seven goals, while her older sister, Lucy, has scored three times. With 13 goals in five games Princeton is already closing in on the 19 it scored last year and has already equaled its total from two years ago.
”It goes back to the core of their confidence, especially on the first line,” Herzog said. “Two years ago we didn’t score our first goal until the sixth game. And then last year in our first game of the season we scored one against Mo-Beard in the first minute. Coming in and taking our first two games and coming in today at 2-2 with a .500 record helps their confidence. I would have liked to have seen us go into Christmas break a little more relaxed with a nice win.”
PDS is also heading into its break and will return to the ice against Princeton in that Jan. 5 matchup. The Panthers once again have lofty goals and hope the win heading into the break is a confidence boost. Having a solid player like Serafin on the ice certainly helps. Her play on defense was a stabilizing factor in the win over Princeton.
”I started as a defenseman and have been playing it ever since,” said Serafin, a sophomore. “I am more of an offensive defenseman but I also focus on passing and looking for my teammates. We’re looking to be one of the better teams and go for the A bracket again in the playoffs. We’ll see what happens.”