Showdown at Baker Rink
Tonight is Game 1 of the quarterfinals of the ECAC women’s hockey playoffs. Princeton, seeded fourth, will take on Colgate, seeded fifth, in a best-of-three series that should have an extra dollop of spice, given what happened last weekend.
Last Friday the teams met at Princeton’s Baker Rink, neck-and-neck in the standings. Since the top four seeds receive home-ice in the quarters, the winner of the game would have a leg up on avoiding a long bus ride. It was a taut affair, with goalie Kristen Young stopping all shots and Princeton winning, 1-0. The celebration was short-lived, though, when it became apparent at the final buzzer that something was amiss on the ice. Marykate Oakley (right), one of Princeton’s best players, was laying face-down on the ice. She had been hit from behind and into the boards by a Colgate player, Nicole McDonald, as time expired. For close to half an hour the crowd, on their feet to cheer, was now standing and watching as Oakley was attended to by coaches and trainers. Oakley wasn’t moving, and eventually an ambulance came to take her away.
Later I learned that she was conscious and able to move her extremities, but it was a sickening feeling during that stretch of time when one can only look on, helpless, imagining the worst. McDonald received a major penalty and a disqualification, which didn’t mean much to Princeton considering it was at the end of the game. McDonald did sit out the last game of the year, at Quinnipiac, but one wonders whether she will be in uniform for this weekend’s playoff battle. If she is, one hopes that everyone keeps their tempers in check, particularly Dina McCumber (left). She is a defenseman with the face of an angel and the quick temper of Sean Penn. Last year I was standing in the hallway outside the Tigers’ locker room when McCumber emerged. To reach street level, she had to walk through a room that was connected to the visitors’ locker room, and she spotted a player she had apparently been battling on the ice during the game. She turned around and stopped, for she said that if she passed by that player they might get into it. In an interview with the student newspaper, she was asked what other sport she would like to play. She responded, I think only half-kiddingly, that she would like to play something that didn’t penalize hitting. When fans make posters with her name and number on it, they always include a drawing of boxing gloves.
On Saturday, I returned to the rink for the final home game of the season, against Cornell. I spotted the head coach, Jeff Kampersal, and asked him about Oakley. He told me she was okay. No concussion, maybe a shoulder problem, and she might play in the playoffs, but would be sitting out today’s game. She was around to watch the game, wearing a neck brace but smiling and greeting well-wishers. Princeton needed the game to clinch home-ice, and the over-matched Cornell team was vanquished, 3-0.
Before the game, as is custom, the senior class, including McCumber, was honored. After the game there was a small reception, and I had one of the more rewarding couple of moments I’ve had recently. I brought a camera and took lots of pictures, especially of the seniors. One of the girls’ mothers urged me to partake in the buffet that was laid out. When I asked if that wasn’t just for players and their families, she assured me that I was considered family, so I dug in. Then McCumber approached me. Her hair was pulled back like a ballerina’s, and she was wearing high heels. It’s hard to believe this sweet girl who looks like a Kewpie doll could be such a battler. She thanked me for all the support I had given the team over the year, but really thanks are due to them, for these kids give me a lot of pleasure. I asked about her going to law school, and she self-deprecatingly said that she got into the University of Buffalo law school. I told her that if I ever got in trouble I wanted her to represent me, because this kid does not like to lose.
Last night I took in practice and Oakley was back on the ice, looking fine except she was wearing a large red cross on her jersey to remind her teammates not to smack into her. Unfortunately, I don’t think this would work in an actual game.
I hope this weekend’s games are not marred by any untoward violence. In the more than 100 women's ice hockey games I’ve seen, I have never seen punches thrown, unlike the reputation that the NHL has (in last night's Buffalo-Ottawa game the goalies even exchanged blows). But there is plenty of pushing and shoving and bad feelings. The best way the Tigers can avenge the hit on Oakley is to score like a Chicago voter: early and often.
Last Friday the teams met at Princeton’s Baker Rink, neck-and-neck in the standings. Since the top four seeds receive home-ice in the quarters, the winner of the game would have a leg up on avoiding a long bus ride. It was a taut affair, with goalie Kristen Young stopping all shots and Princeton winning, 1-0. The celebration was short-lived, though, when it became apparent at the final buzzer that something was amiss on the ice. Marykate Oakley (right), one of Princeton’s best players, was laying face-down on the ice. She had been hit from behind and into the boards by a Colgate player, Nicole McDonald, as time expired. For close to half an hour the crowd, on their feet to cheer, was now standing and watching as Oakley was attended to by coaches and trainers. Oakley wasn’t moving, and eventually an ambulance came to take her away.
Later I learned that she was conscious and able to move her extremities, but it was a sickening feeling during that stretch of time when one can only look on, helpless, imagining the worst. McDonald received a major penalty and a disqualification, which didn’t mean much to Princeton considering it was at the end of the game. McDonald did sit out the last game of the year, at Quinnipiac, but one wonders whether she will be in uniform for this weekend’s playoff battle. If she is, one hopes that everyone keeps their tempers in check, particularly Dina McCumber (left). She is a defenseman with the face of an angel and the quick temper of Sean Penn. Last year I was standing in the hallway outside the Tigers’ locker room when McCumber emerged. To reach street level, she had to walk through a room that was connected to the visitors’ locker room, and she spotted a player she had apparently been battling on the ice during the game. She turned around and stopped, for she said that if she passed by that player they might get into it. In an interview with the student newspaper, she was asked what other sport she would like to play. She responded, I think only half-kiddingly, that she would like to play something that didn’t penalize hitting. When fans make posters with her name and number on it, they always include a drawing of boxing gloves.On Saturday, I returned to the rink for the final home game of the season, against Cornell. I spotted the head coach, Jeff Kampersal, and asked him about Oakley. He told me she was okay. No concussion, maybe a shoulder problem, and she might play in the playoffs, but would be sitting out today’s game. She was around to watch the game, wearing a neck brace but smiling and greeting well-wishers. Princeton needed the game to clinch home-ice, and the over-matched Cornell team was vanquished, 3-0.
Before the game, as is custom, the senior class, including McCumber, was honored. After the game there was a small reception, and I had one of the more rewarding couple of moments I’ve had recently. I brought a camera and took lots of pictures, especially of the seniors. One of the girls’ mothers urged me to partake in the buffet that was laid out. When I asked if that wasn’t just for players and their families, she assured me that I was considered family, so I dug in. Then McCumber approached me. Her hair was pulled back like a ballerina’s, and she was wearing high heels. It’s hard to believe this sweet girl who looks like a Kewpie doll could be such a battler. She thanked me for all the support I had given the team over the year, but really thanks are due to them, for these kids give me a lot of pleasure. I asked about her going to law school, and she self-deprecatingly said that she got into the University of Buffalo law school. I told her that if I ever got in trouble I wanted her to represent me, because this kid does not like to lose.
Last night I took in practice and Oakley was back on the ice, looking fine except she was wearing a large red cross on her jersey to remind her teammates not to smack into her. Unfortunately, I don’t think this would work in an actual game.
I hope this weekend’s games are not marred by any untoward violence. In the more than 100 women's ice hockey games I’ve seen, I have never seen punches thrown, unlike the reputation that the NHL has (in last night's Buffalo-Ottawa game the goalies even exchanged blows). But there is plenty of pushing and shoving and bad feelings. The best way the Tigers can avenge the hit on Oakley is to score like a Chicago voter: early and often.
Princeton lost two tough games to Colgate, 1-0 and 3-2. Very sad from this correspondent's perspective. I'll post more later in the week.
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