One season after setting personal bests in goals, assists, points and penalty minutes, Spencerport native Shane Prince is in the early stages of his third professional season as a professional hockey player in Binghamton as part of the Ottawa Senators system.
And in the final year of his original three-year entry level contract.
But the goal of becoming a player in the National Hockey League hasn’t changed.
“It’s a lot different coming into my third year than it was in my first or second, so there is definitely more pressure on me to step up and be a leader on this team,” Prince said after the game.
“I thought I had a real good preseason; played in a couple of games and did well, so I just need to keep working down here and get back there as soon as I can.
“As a scorer you’re always leaned on to help contribute offensively and if the team is losing and we’re not scoring goals, it’s on me to break through and score a couple.
Prince, a second round draft pick by Ottawa in the 2011 entry draft, scored the third goal against the Rochester Americans in his trip home November 7 giving him two goals and three assists over the first nine games this season.
He left home in 2008 at 16 years old to play junior hockey in Canada for first Kitchener and then Ottawa. One season after being drafted, he finished fourth in the Ontario Hockey League in scoring with 43 goals and 47 assists in 57 games.
The just-turned 22-year-old (Nov. 16) began his pro career in 2012-13 and he netted 18 goals in 65 games; then added 21 goals last season.
“That’s one of those things that is out of my control. I just need to worry about my game. I thought I had a great season last year, a great camp and a pretty decent start to this year, so I’m looking to build on it.”
If Prince is still in the American Hockey League, he will return to Rochester with Binghamton for a final time in this regular season on December 5.
