SAVING TIME: Princeton High boys’ hockey goalie Josh Berger gloves a save in a recent game. Last Monday, senior netminder Berger made 24 saves to help 16th seeded PHS top No. 17 Rumson-Fair Haven 4-2 in the first round of the state Public B tournament. The win advanced the Little Tigers, now 15-6-2, to a second round contest at top-seeded Kinnelon (17-7) on March 1 at the Skylands Ice World in Stockholm. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Senior goalie Josh Berger didn’t want his time with the Princeton High boys’ hockey team to end last Monday when the Little Tigers hosted Rumson-Fair Haven in the first round of the state Public B tournament.

“This high school career has been really good to me,” said Berger. “Personally, this team means a lot; it is a really special experience. As a senior, you want it to keep going; you don’t want to go home.”

Instead, Berger helped make sure that Rumson went home, recording 24 saves as 16th-seeded PHS won 4-2 over the No. 17 Bulldogs at the Mercer County Park rink.

The win advanced the Little Tigers, now 15-6-2, to a second round contest at top-seeded Kinnelon (17-7) on March 1 at the Skylands Ice World in Stockholm.

Berger knew that it wasn’t going to be easy to subdue Rumson. “The shore teams are always gritty,” said Berger. “They are aggressive and fast. We were relieved to stick right with them, play smart hockey, and get the win.”

Some big first period saves by Berger helped set the tone of the contest. “I got off to a good start and made some lucky saves,” said Berger. “I got into a groove and just focused on the next shot after the next and just keeping them out and doing my job.”

The savvy Berger seems to do his job best when the post-season rolls around.

“I think February so far has presented itself with some ups and downs but I always look forward to the postseason,” said Berger.

“It is very exciting for me as a goaltender. I am really just anxious to prove myself a little more before I take my leave.”

In the view of PHS head coach Tim Campbell, Berger has proven himself to be a clutch performer.

“Josh is a postseason goalie, he really is,” asserted Campbell. “There is no question that he is a little inconsistent during the regular season but he finds his game in the postseason. He was a difference maker today. Late in that second period, if they would have tied it up, I think that would have taken a lot of momentum out of our game.”

The Little Tigers had to employ a physical game to hold off the Bulldogs. “We know now after this that we can be physical and that is all it takes, just one experience,” said Campbell, who got two goals and two assists from sophomore Mike Wasson as PHS overcame an early 1-0 deficit to post the win.

“I told them at intermission that these are the fun games. It is a physical, big boy game. We are not necessarily used to that but now we know that we are capable of bringing that part of the game. It is a lot of fun. If you are a teenage kids there is nothing more fun than going out and banging each other on an ice rink. It is good experience.”

It has been a rewarding experience for Campbell to guide his trio of seniors, Berger and forwards Will Greenberg and Kirby Peck.

“There are only three of them and they are so tight and such a close knit group,” said Campbell, who got a goal and two assists from Greenberg in the win over Rumson with Peck contributing an assist. “They want to play just a little more hockey and I want to coach just a little more hockey.”

PHS will have to play its best hockey of the season if it is to overcome the
challenge posed by powerful Kinnelon.

“What do you say, it is Kinnelon, it is the No. 1 seeded team in the state,” said Campbell.

“Honestly, and I mean this sincerely, I am looking forward to it and playing the best team in Public B. If you are going to go out, what better way to go out, not that I am expecting to go out. But if we do if we get bounced by the No. 1 team, I won’t lose any sleep over that. It is one of those no-pressure situations and I don’t mind them one bit.”

Berger, for his part, is primed for that situation. “I love playing as the underdog and really putting all the pressure on them,” said Berger.

“We can match ourselves up against them; they are a really top team in New Jersey. We will just play with heart.”