From the Past to the Present - Q & A with current Princeton starter Colton Phinney

Hello goalies, hockey parents, and hockey fans !!!

I am writing to you in the midst of our playoff push in the EIHL. We are nearing the end of our regular season in the United Kingdom with only six games remaining before the Elite League playoffs commence. 

For those of you who haven't read them, two of my previous blog posts have featured class of 2013 Princetonian and current NHLer Mike Condon. I think it is a valuable tool for my younger readers to get some insight on what goes on inside the mind of a goaltender who has made it to the highest professional level in the world. In this post, I give you all a quick peek of the nuances of an aspiring pro goaltender who is now playing at the collegiate level. 

Colton sporting his understated bright orange gear -- love it!
(thanks to Jashvina Shah @icehockeystick for the photos)

That individual is none other than Princeton University men's hockey starting netminder Colton Phinney. 

A little background info on Phinney... The former Delbarton backstop is competing in his junior year with the Tigers where he currently boasts a solid 92.4 save percentage this season. A New Jersey All-State selection in high school, Colton spent one season in the EJHL with the Jr. Islanders before attending Princeton the following season. He recently honed his skills at development camp with the NHL's New Jersey Devils in the summer of 2015.  

Phinney (65) competing with other Devils prospects this past summer
(photo: Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

As we all know, the hockey world is very small. I've actually known Colton for almost 20 years... I first met him when he was just a little rink rat, running around the halls of Codey Arena at South Mountain. I played peewee hockey with Colton's older brother Dustin with the NJ Devils Youth program. But I had the chance to see Colton play for the first time (other than in men's league) last season against Harvard. It was the first time I'd watched a Princeton game from the stands since early in my sophomore season when I was healthy-scratched by Guy Gadowsky. In the more enjoyable game of the two, Colton made an impressive 51 saves against the then #9 ranked Crimson.

Posting outstanding numbers has not been unusual for the 22-year-old Chatham native this season either. This past weekend, Phinney became Princeton's single-season saves leader when he broke Erasmo Saltarelli's 870-save mark recorded during the Tigers' first ECAC title-winning season in 1998. Considering Princeton University played its first hockey game back in 1900, I find Colton's accomplishment a very solid one to say the least ! 

Click Video of Colton for comments on his new record recently posted in Jashvina Shah's blog.

Thirty-three with one of his many saves in recent action at Hobey Baker Rink
(photo credit: Jashvina Shah)

Without further delay, here's the 'Q & A' with Colton:

How would you describe your goaltending style? 

I am a butterfly goalie, but not strictly butterfly. I tend to rely on athleticism a little too much. 

Where did you start playing youth hockey? 

I played youth hockey at the NJ Devils, but started playing with private lessons at Bridgewater Sports Arena with my older brother. 

Why did you start playing goalie and how old were you? 

My brothers needed someone to shoot on, so they forced me to go in net and dressed me in pads. I was probably 4 years old. I was a goalie from day one. 

Who were your role models growing up? 

Definitely my family. My parents were huge, as well as my older brothers. Watching them play made me want to play and obsessed with the game. NHL-wise I was a big Marc-Andre Fluery fan. 

What are you most proud of so far in your hockey career? 

The fact that I get to play division-1 hockey at a great school. It's definitely a dream that came true. I think my proudest moment was upsetting Cornell 2-1 last year, the day after my grandmother passed away. 

How do you prepare in the off-season for Princeton hockey? 

Mainly working out and some hockey, but I take a break in beginning of summer and don't skate too often. This past summer I lived in Connecticut and trained everyday at Prentiss with a bunch of NHL guys and skated 1-2 times a week. 

What is the most important thing you learned from attending the NJ Devils prospect camp?

The most important thing I learned at development camp was how important skating is. There was a lot of emphasis everyday on skating and we did multiple drills per day. In addition, how important confidence is. It's easy to look at the guys there and think you don't belong, but being confident and believing in yourself and your abilities can go a long way.

Have any superstitions or rituals pre-game that you can tell us about? 

No superstitions. I run through the same warm-up routine before every game which is mainly stretching and sometimes a bike. I'll tape a stick if need be, but that depends on what condition the stick is in. My left skate and left pad always go on before my right. 

Tell us about the goal you scored in junior hockey playing for the EJHL's Jr. Islanders. 

Pretty funny moment... It was in the finals of the playoffs, game two of a 3-game series. It was a delayed penalty and they had a couple shots so I made a save then the rebound went out to the point. The defenseman shot it, it hit the post and somehow went all the way down the ice. It was rolling wide then caught an edge and went towards the net. By the time the other team realized it was going in, it was too late. I was the last to touch it, so I got credit, and the ref right away came up to me to tell me. When it was announced it was pretty funny. A lot of people were confused. It also ended up being the game-winning goal. 

Do you have a favorite pre-game meal? 

We don't have much of a choice for pre game meal. It's usually salad, vegetables, pasta, and chicken. I don't mind it at all. I would probably eat that by choice. It's nice because each hotel and trip make it a little different, so it never gets too old. 

What’s on your iPod? 

A bunch of random songs. One playlist I listen to is more country and radio songs. I'll listen to it while I stretch and warm up. Then another playlist for right before the game is rap music and a lot of Lil Wayne and Drake. 

Who is your favorite NHL goalie? 

It definitely used to be Marc-Andre Fleury. But being in school now, I don't get to watch much hockey anymore. He's still up there, but I also like Montreal Canadiens' Carey Price and (fellow Tiger) Mike Condon I guess... 

What’s the best part about playing Princeton hockey? 

I think it's the fact of playing in arguably the best league in the country (ECAC). Every weekend we are pretty much playing a team that's top in the country. That and the fact that it's a great tradition, with the name Hobey Baker everywhere. 

What does having the Princeton single-season saves record mean to you?

Having the single season record is definitely something I'm proud of. Princeton hockey has been around for many years and has seen some amazing goalies, like Zane Kalemba and Mike Condon. Obviously the history is there, so having a record is definitely something special. However I'd much rather have the wins record or shutout records, because that would show more team success and that things are going well, but it's always great to be on the right side of a positive record.

Thanks for the shout-out, bud! What are your hockey goals for the future? 

For the team, we want to win as much as possible, and make it to Lake Placid this year which is the top 4 for the ECAC. Personally, I want to play hockey for as long as I can, and try to help my team win some games and get some upsets.

Go Tigers !
(photo credit: Jashvina Shah)

Thank you, Colton, for taking the time out of your busy schedule of hitting books and stopping pucks to answer some questions. And congratulations on your most recent achievement. Here's to many more saves !!!