MAC ATTACK: Princeton University women’s hockey player Mackenzie Alexander fires a shot in a game earlier this season. Last Friday, freshman forward Alexander tallied one goal and two assists to help seventh-seeded Princeton defeat 10th-seeded RPI 3-2 in an ECAC Hockey playoff single-elimination opening round contest. The Tigers, who improved to 18-10-2 overall, will now play at second-seeded Colgate in a best-of-three quarterfinal series starting in February 28. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

By Bill Alden

It was the first ECAC Hockey playoff game for Mackenzie Alexander and she thrived in the pressure-packed atmosphere as the Princeton University women’s hockey team hosted RPI last Friday at Hobey Baker Rink in a single-elimination opening round contest.

“It was really fun, it was always high energy,” said Princeton freshman forward Alexander. “You could never take your foot off the gas, it was really exciting and really fun.”

Looking to bounce back from a 4-3 loss to RPI a week earlier in the regular season finale, the seventh-seeded Tigers brought an aggressive approach into the playoff clash against the 10th-seeded Engineers.

“I think it was just working a lot harder than we did last time, taking every puck and always pressuring them no matter what,” said Alexander. “We knew that as long as we stuck to our habits and the game plan, we all had the motivation to win and we just pushed through it.”

Alexander helped push Princeton to a dramatic 3-2 win, scoring a goal to even the game at 1-1 in the waning seconds of the first period, assisting on a second period goal by Issy Wunder that put the Tigers up 2-1 and then helping to set up the game winner by fellow freshman Rosie Klein midway through the third period.

With Princeton trailing 1-0 late in the first period, Alexander found the back of the net on a feed from Klein.

“I honestly just got it from Rosie,” said Alexander, whose goal came with 15 seconds left in the period. “I just wanted to throw it at the net and I guess it just went in.”

On her assist to Wunder, Alexander’s vision on the ice led to the tally.

“Issy is a great player, she always knows where to go and she was in the right spot,” said Alexander. “I just saw her and she tapped it in.”

In setting up the game winning goal, Alexander slid the puck over to Klein who took it from there with a blast from point.

“That was an incredible shot, I don’t think I really did a lot,” said Alexander. “I was on the side and I gave it to her and she sniped it top shelf.”

The last two minutes of the contest turned out to be harrowing for the Tigers as Princeton goalie Jen Olnowich’s stick was knocked out of her hands and she didn’t get it back for the rest of the game. Having pulled its goalie, RPI dominated possession with Tigers players desperately diving to block shots as Olnowich tried to hold the fort between the pipes with just her glove and blocker.
“That was really stressful, we all have trust in each other to block shots and win it for the team,” said Alexander. “We all did that.”

In reflecting on her stellar playoff debut, Alexander was more focused on the result than her stats as the Tigers improved to 18-10-2 and advanced to a best-of-three quarterfinal series at second-seeded Colgate (27-7) starting on February 28.

“It felt gratifying, I am just happy that we won,” said Alexander. “We played as team and it worked out.”

Things have worked out very well for Alexander in her freshman season as she has tallied 45 points in 14 goals and a team-high 31 assists and has been named the ECACH Rookie of the Week four times this winter.

“I think because the game is so fast, I have gotten used to making quick plays and just keeping my head up all of the time and anticipating plays,” said Alexander, a 5’6 naive of Etobicoke, Ontario, who competed for Canada at the 2023 and 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) U18 Women’s World Championships. “I have gained a lot more confidence over the year.”

Princeton head coach Cara Morey was confident that the Tigers could turn the tables on RPI in the playoff rematch.

“We wanted to apply a lot more pressure to the puck area,” said Morey. “We played with a lot more aggressive style, taking away time and space. That is probably the biggest change because when I watched the film, we just gave them all kinds of room.”

When the Tigers found themselves down 1-0 despite outshooting the Engineers 11-4, Morey was concerned.

“They had six shots, one power play, one goal,” said Morey. “It was super frustrating.”

The goal by Alexander helped turn the tide for the Tigers.

“We needed that, especially because that was a fluky one going in to tie it up and keep it even,” said Morey. “She was great, it was one of Mac’s great games.”

Klein’s game winning goal was no fluke even though it came as a bit of a surprise to Morey.

“It is so amazing, I didn’t see that coming,” said Morey. “Our power play is good we needed to score on it but I didn’t think it would be Rosie from the top so that’s great.”

Morey didn’t like what she saw as the Tigers scrambled to hold off the Engineers with Olnowich’s stick on the ice.

“I was losing my mind,” said Morey. “I was screaming, give Jen her stick but nobody could hear me over all of the other screaming apparently.”

Having survived the nail-biter with RPI, the Tigers are looking forward to their quarterfinal matchup against Colgate.

“It will be a good series against Colgate,” said Morey, whose team split its two regular season games against the Raiders this winter, topping Colgate 4-3 in overtime on November 22 at Hobey Baker Rink before losing 4-0 in the rematch on January 18. “Colgate is amazing. I think they are fifth in the country but we can beat them.”

Alexander, for her part, believes that the Tigers can build on the win over RPI.

“It is huge, the momentum we got from this game is really good,” said Alexander. “We beat Colgate before. We have to be confident in ourselves and just go hard.”