Westgarth brothers forge own paths

At first glance, seniors Brett and Kevin Westgarth of the men's hockey team seem strikingly similar. But take away the last name and frightening hockey skills, and what's left is two completely different people.

Born and raised in Amhertsburg, Quebec — right outside Detroit — the two brothers lived the typical hockey youngster's life: skating on outdoor rinks and dreaming of the Stanley Cup.

Kevin, a forward, is clearly the louder and more vocal of the two — the type to break out into a song at any random moment.

"Kevin likes to be the center of attention," Brett said of his younger brother, whose personality prompted a teammate to create a facebook.com group entitled "People Against Kevin Westgarth Being Big And Loud And Fat."

Yet Kevin takes the lighthearted criticism in stride.

"I guess that stands for my outgoing nature," Kevin said of the group. "I take it as an honor, though, that that many people are involved in a group that has me as its singular focus."

Still, beneath that lively and energetic personality is a player who understands both his future in the game, as well as hockey's storied past.

"I'm going to try my hand at hockey for a while and see how far I can get," Kevin, whose ultimate goal is a job in the NHL, said. "You have dreams as a kid of being in the Show, and hopefully I'll get there."

Brett, a defenseman, is more reserved — the type to routinely spend time alone with his thoughts. Which is why, following his sophomore season, realizing that his heart was not completely set on returning to Princeton, Brett took a year off.

"I felt as though I just needed some time off to regroup and get that fire back," Brett said of the break, during which he did community work in Ecuador. "It was just an amazing experience."

That reticent personality is also why, in thinking about his future, Brett is excited about the prospect of leaving the States and playing for a few years in Europe. He does not expect to play hockey seriously forever, but would love to play for a few years before pursuing other things.

The two are close friends, but are by no means inseparable. Besides their time on and off the ice with the rest of the hockey team, the brothers do not spend much time together. To assume that this separation results in poor communication on the ice, however, would be a terrible misconception.

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"I actually feel that I can find my brother [on the ice] better than anybody now, just because we've played together for the past five years," Brett said.

"I love playing with Brett because he's a good player," Kevin added. "Especially defensively, because if you screw up you know he's going to be back there to save your ass."

In fact, when the two are on the ice together, they make for a deadly combination. Take, for example, the Tigers' biggest win last season, a shocking 4-1 upset of two-time defending national champion Denver at the Wells Fargo Denver Cup.

Down 1-0 early to the No. 12 Pioneers in the opening round, Princeton looked as though it was going to be the easy out that everyone expected. But the Tigers battled back.

Kevin tied the game on a shot in front of the net, and then assisted on the game winner. Brett played an outstanding game as well, shutting down the vaunted Denver offense en route to being honored as the game's top player.

"They were both really good," head coach Guy Gadowsky said. "Both Kevin and Brett were named to the all-tournament team, but the thing that they took away from that tournament was the play of the team."

Kevin still remembers the tournament fondly.

"It was such a huge victory" Kevin said. "[The Pioneers] kind of thought that we were the rabble of the tournament, obviously they'd beat us and then be in the finals, and it was just a great feeling to be able to win."

As for this year's team, both Kevin and Brett have high expectations.

"We have some solid, solid talent that is going to work very well within our system," Kevin said. "I've been looking forward to this season for the past six months."

They are also quick to point out the incredible balance that the team possesses. Its nine seniors provide tremendous veteran leadership, while the team's large incoming class of freshmen represents the program's bright future.

Last year, both Westgarths had career years. Kevin, with 10 goals and 13 assists, was second on the team in both points and plus/minus, and led the Tigers in shots. Brett played in all of Princeton's 31 games and was third among Tiger defensemen in points, notching three goals and 11 assists.

Thanks to a rigorous off-season, both Brett and Kevin insist that they are in the best shape of their college careers. In September, the two brothers attended an intense rookie conditioning camp with the Philadelphia Flyers, which provided them with a great opportunity to represent themselves and Princeton on a national level, as well as to advertise their ability to play at the next level.

"It was a surreal experience, to feel that you are that close [to the NHL]," Kevin said, before adding, "it also makes you realize that the last leg of this race is going to be the longest and the hardest."

On the ice, the two stand as incredible hockey players, but off it, Brett and Kevin Westgarth represent everything that Princeton athletics embody; two brothers with different personalities united by a love of hockey, a respect for its history and humility towards the future.