PRINCETON, NJ – The Union College men's hockey team dropped a 2-1 decision at Princeton University on Friday night at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink.

Senior Caden Villegas was the lone goal scorer for the Garnet Chargers. Junior Parker Lindauer and senior Cullen Ferguson each recorded an assist.

Union (9-4-1, 3-2-0 ECACH) went 1-for-2 on the powerplay while Princeton (4-4-1, 2-4-1 ECACH) went 1-for-3 on the player advantage.

The opening frame saw a back-and-forth battle between the two programs with Princeton holding an 11-9 edge in shots after the first 20 minutes. First-year Lucas Buzziol went to the box for tripping 6:18 into the period and junior Kyle Chauvette made a pair of saves to keep the game scoreless. Both teams skated 4-on-4 later in the period after David Ma was called for interference and Union had too many men on the ice. Neither team could find the back of the net and the teams went into the locker rooms scoreless.

All three goals came in the second period of the game. Luc Pelletier scored at 2:46 of the middle stanza with a shot that went past Chauvette's right skate. The Tigers capitalized on a 5-on-3 opportunity to make it a two-goal game. With two Union skaters in the penalty box, Noah de la Durantaye rang one off the post that went in for the power-play tally. A few minutes later, Ma went off for slashing and Union went on their first power-play of the game. Ferguson took a shot from the point that went off Arthur Smith. In a scramble in front of the net, Lindauer managed to redirect the puck to Villegas who put the puck in for the score.

Both teams had chances in the third period, but both goaltenders came up with several key saves. Skating 4-on-4 again, sophomore DJ Hart and junior John Prokop each blocked a shot to keep the game within one. Union had an opportunity on the powerplay and put four shots on net, but Smith made all four saves. Chauvette went to the bench in favor of the extra attacker with 2:35 to play, but the Garnet Chargers could not score the equalizer.

Chauvette made 26 saves in the loss while Smith stopped 27 shots in the win.

Union closes out the road trip tomorrow with a 4:00 p.m. game at #18 Quinnipiac University.