RICHE MAN: Princeton University men’s hockey player Alex Riches glides up the ice in a game last winter. Last Friday, sophomore forward Riche chipped in a goal and an assist as Princeton defeated No. 7 Quinnipiac 5-3 at Baker Rink in the first game of a home-and-home set. A night later in Hamden, Conn., Riche and the Tigers prevailed again, posting a 4-1 win over the Bobcats. Princeton, now 5-7-1 overall and 3-6-1 ECAC Hockey, hosts No. 19 Minnesota State for a two-game set on December 16 and 17. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Alex Riche helped the Princeton University men’s hockey team get off to a fast start last Friday as it hosted No. 7 Quinnipiac to start a home-and-home set.

Just five minutes into the game, the sophomore forward helped set up a goal by classmate Ryan Kuffner as Princeton jumped out to a 1-0 lead.

“It was a good play by Max (Veronneau) to get it to me in the middle and then I lost my angle there so I decided to throw it back and I was lucky enough that Kuff was backdooring and was able to put it in on a sharp angle,” said Riche.

That tally helped set the tone as the Tigers enjoyed a breakthrough weekend in ECAC Hockey play, topping the Bobcats 5-3 on Friday and then going up to Hamden, Conn. a day later and completing the sweep with a 4-1 win over Quinnipiac.

“It was a good start for us; when they pushed back and tied it a couple of times,” said Riche, reflecting on the win on Friday. “It was good that we continued to answer every single pushback.”

Riche answered a second period push by the Bobcats on Friday as he scored a goal late in the frame to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead.

“That was all Tommy Davis, he found me backdoor and I was able to tip it home,” recalled Riche.

In the final period, Quinnipiac came out hard, generating a number of chances and tallying a goal two minutes into the period to knot the contest at 3-3.

Keeping its composure, Princeton held off the Bobcats and got ahead 4-3 on a tally by Matt Nelson with 4:05 remaining in regulation and then sealed the victory with an empty-netter by Eric Robinson in the waning moments of the game.

“They are a good team so it was a strong pushback, it was a huge play by Nelson to keep the puck in and get one on net and it found its way in,” said Riche.

“The empty netter at the end to ice it was great. We weathered the storm on their power play with a couple of big blocked shots. For Robby, with his speed, it was easy for him to put it away.”

Getting moved to center from wing has made it easier for Riche to have an impact for the Tigers.

“Playing center now, I am down low more,” said Riche. “I feel like I am more involved in the d-zone and I think it is giving Max a lot more freedom on the wing to use his speed as well.”

The line of Riche and his classmates Veronneau and Kuffner is getting more and more productive the longer they are together.

“We have been together for almost two years now; I feel like we are getting some honest chemistry,” said Riche.

“We play off of each other’s strengths and we are able to move the puck pretty well together as a unit.”

Princeton head coach Ron Fogarty likes the way things are coming together for his team as it has won five of its last six games in improving to 5-7-1 overall and 3-6-1 ECACH.

“We have been playing the same way for nine games now; we had the lead or tied the game in the third,” said Fogarty, who got two goals and an assist from Veronneau in the win on Saturday with Kuffner and junior Max Becker adding the other goals.

“It has been the same story over and over again and now we are finding ways to finish the job in the third period.”

The Tigers showed their growth in finishing the deal on Friday. “You know they are going to have a push back, they are going to send everything in,” said Fogarty.

“It was an unfortunate goal that goes in from behind the net. It was a great demeanor from our guys. We stayed with the systems intact and did a good job.”

Seeing Nelson get his first goal of the season to provide the margin of victory was a good moment for the squad.

“It was nice for Nelly to score but we had chances before that,” said Fogarty.

“It is a team effort all the way around. He was the last one to shoot on net so it was good.”

The play of Riche in recent action has been a nice plus for the Tigers. “Once Riche moved from right wing to center, he has been more involved in the game down low and that allows him to join the play,” said Fogarty, whose team will look to keep on the winning track as it hosts No. 19 Minnesota State for a two-game set on December 16 and 17.

“He has been competing very hard since the move and that line has been connecting with him at center and Max on the right.”

In Riche’s view, the Tigers are primed to keep competing hard. “It definitely looks like we are moving in the right direction,” said Riche. “We have to make sure that we keep building momentum.”