March 8, 2017

With PU Men’s Hockey Facing Elimination, Robinson’s Last Second Tally Saved Season

BUZZER BEATER: Princeton University men’s hockey player Eric Robinson controls the puck last Friday as the Tigers fell 3-2 in overtime to Colgate in opening game of the ECAC Hockey playoffs. A day later, junior forward Robinson scored a goal with one second left in regulation to force overtime and keep Princeton’s season alive. The Tigers went on to prevail 4-3 in overtime and then defeated the Raiders 2-1 on Sunday to win the series. Seventh-seeded Princeton, now 15-14-3, plays at second-seeded and sixth-ranked Union (23-8-3) in the best-of-three ECACH quarterfinal series starting on March 10. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

It was a leap of faith that saved the season for the Princeton University men’s hockey team.

With Princeton having lost 3-2 in overtime to Colgate on Friday in the first game of a best-of-three ECAC Hockey first round series, the Tigers trailed the Raiders 3-2 with five seconds remaining in the third period of game two last Saturday.

Tiger defenseman Josh Teves desperately fired the puck towards the net as the seconds ticked down and junior forward Eric Robinson dove through the air to knock a rebound into the back of the net with one second left to knot the game at 3-3 and force overtime.

“I actually did take a look at the clock right as Teves picked it up at the point there and saw that there was five seconds left,” recalled the 6’2, 200-pound Robinson, whose miracle tally triggered a deafening roar from the Hobey Baker Rink crowd as the fans leaped to their feet with many pounding the glass in exultation.

“I did have an idea that I needed to get it off pretty quick. I was just sitting backdoor hoping that his point shot would maybe squeak to me or pop out. Kuff (Ryan Kuffner) got a good tip on it and the puck was just sitting right there. I was fortunate enough to get a stick on it; I thought I got pretty good wood on it.”

In overtime, the Tigers got the job done as sophomore star Max Veronneau sailed the puck into the top of the net 16:17 into the first extra session to give the Tigers a 4-3 win.

“We were all pretty confident heading into OT that we could get this thing done,” said Robinson.

“We were playing well since that first period and we were doing the same things over and over, smothering them down low, getting pucks to the net there.”

Princeton had a rough first period, falling behind 2-0 before knotting the contest at 2-2 on second period goals by Jackson Cressey and Kuffner. The Raiders, though, answered with a goal to take a 3-2 lead into the third period.

“I think the second period was big for us,” said Robinson. “We kind of regrouped and thought about what we wanted to do as a group. We knew what we needed to do and we came out in the second and showed how we really need to play.”

A day later, Princeton edged Colgate 2-1 to win the series, earning the seventh-seeded Tigers a best-of-three quarterfinal matchup at second-seeded and sixth-ranked Union (23-8-3).

Princeton head coach Ron Fogarty wasn’t surprised to see his team come through.

“We told the guys right here at 11 this morning, there is no other group in my 20 years that I would rather go to war with when the chips are down,” said Fogarty. “They have risen to every occasion when it really meant something.”

For Robinson, rising to the occasion on Saturday was a matter of living up to the team’s battling mentality.

“It shows our resilience; we have had that all year,” said Robinson, a native of Bellmawr, N.J. who now has 20 points this season with 13 goals and seven assists.

“We have been down numerous times this year. We just keep battling back. The message stays the same, we just keep fighting.”