Hun-R’ville, Princeton-ND to square off in semis
It’s an interesting pair of games on tap Tuesday in the Mercer County Tournament ice hockey semifinals.
Hun, the top seed and fivetime defending champion, will face No. 5 Robbinsville, which is in the midst of a seven-game winning streak that is the longest in the county this year by any team.
The first game showcases two of the traditional powers in the Colonial Valley Conference and two teams in No. 2 Princeton and No. 3 Notre Dame that just seem to produce a classic each time they face off.
Here is a look at both games at Mercer County Skating Center.
NO. 3 NOTRE DAME (10-8-2) VS NO. 2 PRINCETON (12-8-3), 4 P.M.
Throughout the years this has been one of the most hotly contested rivalries in the area.
The semifinal meeting last year between them was decided in overtime on a Rocco Salvato goal giving the Little Tigers a 5-4 victory.
The two have split the season series this year with Princeton winning the first meeting, 6-4, and the Irish the second, 5-3.
“They are a solid team that can control the tempo and the flow of a game,’’ ND coach Mike McVey said of Princeton. “We need to stay out of the box and be able to capitalize on our opportunities.’’
Aidan Trainor, one of the premier players around, leads the Little Tigers with 23 goals and 21 assists, his brother Colm adds 13 and 20 with Austin Micale getting 15 and 14.
One of the bright spots for the Irish has been the play of Carson Skove this season.
“Carson is a special player,’’ said McVey. “His offensive skills are obviously his biggest strength. Over the course of the season he has proven to be a great all-around player. We use him in all situations, and he continues to produce.’’
Skove has 18 goals and 11 assists and he is joined by Payton Miller with 16 assists, Ryan Nemec with 11 goals and Jack Govan with nine goals as the catalysts for the Irish.
It should be another classic. NO. 5 ROBBINSVILLE (10-6-2) VS NO. 1 HUN (13-8-1), 6 P.M.
While there is plenty of talent on each team there have been two players that have really stepped into the spotlight this year, Hun’s Brian Nelson and the Ravens’ Justin Cooper.
“He has always been a smart player and saw ice well,’’ Hun coach Ian McNally said of Nelson. “Coming into this year, he developed a second gear. He can create some separation to allow himself more time with the puck and also a release that finds the back of the net before the goalie is ready.”
Nelson has produced some impressive numbers scoring 20 goals and adding 24 assists for the Raiders.
“He has found a home on the power play,’’ McNally said of Nelson. “Once they find him over there he rarely misses the finish. He is a great kid and a great captain, and he is one of those guys you are very happy to see do well, he deserves all the accolades right now.’’
The ice isn’t the only place Nelson is making some noise. The word is out that he’s a pretty good drummer in the Nelson family band.
We’re not sure of the musical talent of Robbinsville’s Cooper, but we do know he has orchestrated a great career between the pipes.
“Coop has been playing his best hockey of late,’’ said Ravens coach Rob Davis. “His ability on the ice is only matched by his drive and work ethic. He is a lead by example captain, and his examples constantly set the bar for this team.’’
The year seemed to be slipping away from the Ravens when they fell to 3-6-2 and it was then the leadership from guys like Cooper got things on the right track.
“He has given this team a lot of confidence especially in high stakes games,’’ said Davis. “The guidance he has given the other goaltenders has proven invaluable for the program. It’s been a gift to see him come into his peak form in his senior year.’’
Both Cooper and Davis have seen the dominance Hun has brought to the tournament the last five years, and they know the task won’t be an easy one.
“Hun is a very skilled team,’’ said Davis. “We know we are capable of bringing our ‘A’ game to the table on Tuesday. Ian (McNally) has been able to shape that talent into a cohesive unit which is a testament to his background and ability in progressing highly skilled players.’’