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| Julie Johnson |
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| Paula Romanchuk |
The season for the Princeton Tigers Women's Ice Hockey came to an end last weekend, as they fell to the Harvard Crimson in two games. They played tough, losing 5-3 (the last goal on an empty net) and then in overtime, 4-3, after tying the game with about a minute to go with an extra attacker.
The season had to be considered a disappointment, given that this is the lowest seed the Tigers have been since the ECAC was realigned eleven years ago. But there were some outstanding performance by many players, and they deserve to be recognized. Of course, they will be officially by their team, but a group of fans (actually, it's just me and two other guys) who call ourselves the Baker Rink Irregulars (Sherlock Holmes fans will get the gag) give out our own awards. They are:
MVP: Rachel Weber. Easy call. Weber, who played all but one period in goal this year, had a brilliant season, and was named Ivy League goalie of the year and second-team All ECAC. If it weren't for her steadfastness between the pipes, Princeton many not even have made the playoffs.
Rookie of the Year: Ali Pankowski. A solid blueliner, Pankowski excelled on the power play, and already may have the Tigers' heaviest shot. When she winds and blasts it means a loud bang if the puck hits the boards, and oohs and aahs from the crowd.
Most Unsung: Heather Landry. A senior, Landry is an occasional scorer, but never a dominant presence. This year she had to fill in on the top line when Olivia Mucha went down, and could always be seen working hard.
Most Improved: Kelly Cooke. The diminutive Cooke may be the Tigers' fastest skater. When she arrived as a freshman, I thought she was a star in the making, but could disappear in some games, and hasn't scored as much as I anticipated. This year she re-emerged as a scoring presence, and if you wanted to find her on the ice, all you had to was look for the puck.
Pearce Award: Denna Laing. Named after Kim Pearce, who exemplified playing through pain, this year the award goes to Denna Laing. I read in the local paper that during the week leading up to the playoffs, she was wearing a sling. She ended up scoring twice and getting an assist in the playoffs.
Perfect Attendance: Julie Johnson, Paula Romanchuk, Charissa Stadnyk. These three seniors played their entire four-year careers without missing a game for any reason.
Best Pony-tail: Ali Pankowski. It falls below the bottom of her number on her jersey!
