Women's Hockey: Back at home, Tigers look to avenge losses

Princeton is led offensively by sophomore forwards Sally Butler and Denna Laing. Butler is at the top of the scoring column with 12 goals and nine assists for 21 points, and Laing follows with 17 points. Defensively, the team is led by freshman Ali Pankowski, who has 12 points.

“Both Clarkson and St. Lawrence are strong, fast and talented teams,” Butler said. “We’re headed for two tough battles this weekend. We have to play a physical game and get shots on net.”

Ranked seventh in the ECAC with four games left to play, the Tigers are hoping to generate some momentum going into the playoffs. The top eight teams reach the playoffs, meaning that the Tigers are almost guaranteed a slot, but they will probably play on the road in the first round.

“This is a small setback on the way to ECAC championships,” Pankowski said regarding the loss of home-ice advantage, “but I believe we definitely have it in us to go all the way.”

In their first meeting with Clarkson (18-7-5, 12-4-2) in November, the Tigers fell 1-0 after a quick first-period goal by the Golden Knights. The Knights have since continued their upward climb, leading to a third-place ranking in the conference. However, the team has struggled on the road, sitting at right around a .500 win percentage compared to an impressive 11-1-4 record at home. Clarkson has more scoring threats than the Tigers, with 10 skaters contributing 10 points or more on the season.

“The second time around, we are looking to play quicker, smarter hockey,” Pankowski said. “Clarkson is a big, strong group of girls, but I think we have the speed to beat them.”

St. Lawrence (17-8-4, 11-5-2) is not far behind, currently tied for fourth in the conference. Not only did the Saints take down Princeton 4-1 in their first meeting, but they have only one loss in their last 13 games.

“As for St. Lawrence, we are looking to make quick first passes out of the zone and capitalize on their mistakes,” Pankowski said. “We have developed a lot as a team since we last played these teams, especially in our defensive zone and our ability to score goals, and I think those two factors will play a big part in the outcome of our games this weekend.”

While Clarkson and St. Lawrence may have the advantage on paper, they also have more to lose. As both teams are hoping to keep home advantage going into the playoffs, the Tigers will be looking to capitalize on this pressure to galvanize their own play.

The Tigers kick off the four-game homestand tonight against Clarkson at 7 p.m. at Baker Rink, followed by a 4 p.m. game against St. Lawrence on Saturday.