WORKING TOGETHER: Princeton University men’s hockey player Julian Facchinelli, right, brings the puck up the ice in a recent game as Brendan Gorman follows him. Last weekend, sophomore forward Facchinelli scored three goals, including two goals in a 5-2 win over RPI on Friday and one goal in a 4-2 loss to Union a night later. The No. 18 Tigers, now 11-5 overall and 7-3 ECAC Hockey, play at Cornell on January 16 and at Colgate on January 17. (Photo by Frank Jacobs III)
By Bill Alden
Last Friday night, Julian Facchinelli scored a pair of goals as the Princeton University men’s hockey team reeled off four answered tallies in the third period to rally for a 5-2 win over RPI.
A night later against Union, Facchinelli picked up where he left off, scoring a goal as the Tigers jumped out to a 1-0 lead.
In reflecting on the goal, Facchinelli credited line mate and senior star Brendan Gorman with setting him up.
“It was a great pass by Gorms,” said Facchinelli. “I just wanted to go out it upstairs and that is what I did. I wanted to get the guys going. I did a good job with that.”
After Union tied the game at 1-1, Princeton killed off a five-minute major penalty late in the second period and then got a goal from Jaxson Ezman to take a 2-1 lead into the final period.
“I think that was huge for our energy,” said Facchinelli, referring to the penalty kill. “The coaches were on us about that. I think it was a great shift in the momentum.”
But it was Union that brought the energy in the third period as it scored three unanswered goals to earn a 4-2 win, snapping Princeton’s six-game winning streak and handing the Tigers their first defeat at Hobey Baker Rink this season after going 9-0 on home ice.
“I thought we were in a great place. I think we were positive,” said Facchinelli. “We were ready to go out there. Those games are going to happen where the puck doesn’t go our way. We were pretty enthusiastic and positive on the bench the way we have to be. That is how Ben (Princeton head coach Ben Syer) taught us to play.”
Things are starting to go Facchinelli’s way as he came into the weekend with just two goals on the season.
“I think my line, we just clicked,” said Facchinelli, whose line also includes Ezman in addition to Gorman. “It took a little bit to figure out where we are going to be, and we did a good job of that this weekend. If it goes in, it goes in. I won’t complain about that. The (two seniors) drive things. I get in there on the forecheck and get the puck for them. They do the work and I just pick up the rebounds and go to the net.”
After having being limited to two games last season due to injury, Facchinelli has been fired up to get back on the ice for the Tigers this winter.
“In the summer, I worked pretty hard,” said Facchinelli, a 6’0, 205-pound native of Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada. “That was the goal, to be playing for the Princeton Tigers. That is my dream.”
Having that dream come true when Princeton hosted Alaska-Fairbanks on Halloween weekend to open the season was special for Facchinelli.
“It was awesome, I was pretty positive out there,” said Facchinelli. “I just went out there and did my thing. They recruited me for a reason so I kept on playing my game.”
Skating on a line with Gorman and Ezman has helped Facchinelli get up to speed.
“I think just playing with Gorman and Ezman and just reading off of each other,” said Facchinelli, who now has five goals and two assists this season. “It has been a big aspect of my game so far, so I think that has been helping me.”
Princeton head coach Ben Syer credited Facchinelli with playing a big role as the Tigers have started 11-5 overall and 7-3 ECAC Hockey, rising to No. 18 in the USCHO.com national poll.
“He was really good this weekend,” said Syer. “He is playing hard, he is getting opportunities because he is playing the right way and getting rewarded for it.”
Killing the second period major was a good moment for the Tigers against Union.
“It was huge,” said Syer. “The guys did a really nice job on that. Special teams was good. Arthur did a real nice job in goal. It was good momentum.”
Princeton, though, couldn’t maintain the momentum down the stretch of the contest.
“We had some looks,” said Syer. “Ultimately we got shown here that you have got to play hard for 60 minutes. I thought we got away with it last night. We cheated a lot last night and got back to it in the third period. We started that way tonight and didn’t finish.”
Assessing the weekend overall, Syer acknowledged that the Tigers were inconsistent.
“It is amazing, this game treats you the way you treat it,” said Syer. “We had ebbs and flows here this weekend. There were times where some guys were really good and other guys were fighting it at different times.”
As Princeton hits the road to play at Cornell on January 16 and at Colgate on January 17, Syer will be looking for his players to fight hard.
“We just get back to work on Monday,” said Syer, who served as a longtime assistant coach for Cornell before taking the helm of Princeton last season. “So far this group has shown a workman-like mentality. That is what we will do. We will start getting ready for Cornell here tomorrow, start watching some video and get going. It is a tough place to play.”
In Facchinelli’s view, the Tigers will be primed to get back on the winning track.
“We have to keep moving and doing the right things and get back to work on Monday,” said Facchinelli. “It is always a big crowd at Cornell so we are excited to go there. We are going play for Ben — we will do anything for Ben.”