Colgate Battles Princeton in Friendship Four

For the Colgate University Raiders, this was their second time to experience the Friendship Four tournament, at least for their head coach Don Vaughan and his staff. For the players the entire event was a new experience. Princeton University Tigers were experiencing the tournament for the first time.

Like the earlier game between the Northeastern University Huskies and the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, the first period saw a bit of feeling out between the two teams. Unlike the previous game, the Raiders and the Tigers came into their ECAC divisional game with a bit of hockey memory, having just played each other in the U.S. the previous Friday, November 22, 2019, to a tie game, where they split the points. While the Friendship Four game was important to see who would be continuing on to the championship game, it also meant two important points in their divisional standings. And, because the game was part of the tournament, there could be no tie. Someone would be getting the two points.

The Raiders head coach, Don Vaughan, felt that the size of the sheet of ice—which is international size—may have had something to do with the teams’ hesitant play at the start of the game.

“You know, we were just trying to figure each other out, even though we played last week. I think the biggest issue was just the ice surface. There’s just so much more room than we’re used to, so we’re trying to figure out, you know, how much risk we could take, you know, guys just kind of finding their comfort zone. And I think both teams were doing that, so once we figured that out, I think the game got better and I think there were more chances. So, it was more just an issue of the ice surface.” Coach Vaughan, who is in his 27th year as bench boss of the Raiders, said.

Many times, the teams who have come over to play in the Friendship Four have had to adjust to the larger ice surface and just what they could get away with.

“The challenge is each guy finding their comfort zone. Everybody’s got a different skill set. Some guys are gonna be able to recover from making a risky play, and some guys are not. So, it’s just a matter of them figuring out, you know, where that extra ice is, when they can take a chance and when they can’t. And I think that was sort of what the whole first period was about,” Coach Vaughan elaborated.

As the clock was clicking down on that opening period, with just 13 seconds remaining, Colgate, while on the power play, got the first goal of the game. While Princeton’s Jordan Fogarty was sitting in the box for boarding, Colgate got their power play going, carrying them into the first intermission with momentum. Scoring any goal in that final minute of a period can be deflating to the team scored on, and perhaps Colgate was hoping to see such a response from the Tigers when the second period got under way.

“Well, it was late in the period so that was a bit of a plus for us. I thought scoring late like that can give you a little bit of a momentum. It was just great to get a power play goal. It’s an area of our game that hasn’t been great this year. So, we’re gaining some confidence there with our group too. So, late in the period and on the power play was a bit of a bonus for us,” said Coach Vaughan.

Princeton came out hard and less than 90 seconds into the middle frame they had tied things up. Freshman Spencer Kersten notched his second goal of the season, with assists from his linemates Liam Gorman and Liam Grande. Tied up it looked like it could prove to be a much tighter game than the earlier Hockey East game had become.

Exactly three minutes later the Raiders regained the lead, when senior Ben Sharf started an impressive play with a solid hit which then found him on a breakaway and a chance to score.

“Well, after the hit I was like, ‘Whoa, I didn’t expect that.’ And then it was like I look back and I’m on a breakaway. Also, I was just like all this happened so fast. And after I missed, I was furious cause I actually missed two last game as well. So, it was nice to just stick around the net and get a rebound and put it in,” Sharf described.

It was certainly a catalyst for the game for the Raiders. It was clear that they were now focused and intent on taking the game to a win. Coming into Friday night’s game, Sharf had played in all prior 14 games, notching two goals, and four assists for six points.

But Sharf wasn’t done yet. During the third period, with 7:33 remaining in regulation, and Princeton hoping to get the game tied up, Sharf gave Colgate some breathing room, scoring his second of the game. And with that Princeton elected to replace Aiden Porter, who was really the only reason that the Tigers were still in the game, with Jeremie Forget.

“As a senior, too, and someone that his first year didn’t play a whole lot for us, [Sharf] has worked his way right into a lineup and playing a very important role with our team right now. So, I couldn’t be happier for Ben. As a senior, the way he’s playing, he’s taken a leadership role on our team even though he’s not wearing a letter. Yeah, just so happy for him, and that’s what you saw tonight was a player that’s worked himself into that position,” said Coach Vaughan.

Despite the goaltending change and Princeton’s pulling their goalie with a minute remaining in the game, they were unable to do anything, falling to Colgate 3-1. Princeton will take on the UNH Wildcats Saturday afternoon in the consolation game.

For Colgate it is their second time facing the Northeastern Huskies in the Friendship Four. Last time though, in 2015 at the inaugural tournament, the two teams were themselves playing in the consolation game. This time they are playing for the championship. Saturday night should be an opportunity to see some great hockey.