Dartmouth Opens Up 2007-08 with Big Win over Vermont

Sunday, October 28

Burlington, Vt.

4:00 PM

Dartmouth College

Vermont

Dartmouth Opens Up 2007-08 with Big Win over Vermont

10/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey

By: Dartmouth

BURLINGTON, Vt. ? The Dartmouth College (1-0) men's hockey team started the season out right, defeating Vermont 4-2 at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Sunday afternoon. Senior J.T. Wyman (Wayzata, Minn.) came up big scoring three points as the Big Green used back-to-back goals in the second period to take the lead and never look back.

The first period had neither team generating much offense in the early-going but it was Vermont (0-3-1) that would find its groove first as the Cats took a 1-0 lead into the break. The Big Green had the advantage in shots early in the stanza but would give up that lead after three penalties. At 10:35 the Catamounts thought it had gotten on the board first as the puck went behind netminder Mike Devine (Orchard Park, N.Y.) but never crossed the line. Then less than three minutes later the Big Green gave UVM a two-man advantage as the home team was able to generate six shots on goal unable net the go-ahead. But at 2:02 Colin Vock drew Devine off to the left side of the net, shooting over to Brayden Irwin for the bam-bam goal putting Vermont on the board.

A spirited second period had Dartmouth showing some life as the Big Green scored back-to-back goals less than 30 seconds apart giving the visitors a one-goal lead.

At 3:19 freshman Adam Estoclet (Orono, Minn.) took a shot from behind the net with Matt Reber (Edina, Minn.) on the right side boards getting the rebound. Reber passed up to Evan Stephens (Bessemer, Mich.) who fired down into traffic for the tying goal.

Then at 3:44 a deflected shot in front of the net landed on Harrison Taylor's (Toronto, Ont.) stick at the point as the sophomore shot down to a waiting Wyman for the go-ahead strike.

UVM almost tied things up late in the stanza as a point-blank shot on Devine went behind as he quickly had to reach back scooping the puck out. A few seconds later with the Catamounts down a man, Corey Carlson stole the puck at center ice going one-on-one with Devine but the senior was up for the challenge.

With a 14-4 advantage in shots that period the Big Green would take its one-goal lead into the third.

The Catamounts came out firing for the final frame as they were still on the power play. But it was Dartmouth that capitalized on its momentum as Rob Pritchard (Burnaby, B.C.) netted a power play goal at 10:27. Wyman brought the puck around the net passing to Pritchard who shot from right in front. Nick Johnson (Calgary, Alta.) was also credited with an assist.

UVM had a chance at 7:41 as a shot got behind Devine but freshman blueliner Joe Stejskal (Grand Rapids, Minn.) was there to dig it out and preserve the two-goal lead.

Late in the period Wyman earned his second goal of the night as the senior took advantage of a loose puck out in front, putting his team up by three.

Vermont got one back late as Reese Wisnowski won the faceoff passing to Chris Atkinson who was behind the goal line. Atkinson shot in front to Jay Antcil for the goal.

Dartmouth finished with one power play goal on five chances as UVM went 0-for-6. The Cats barely outshot the Big Green 33-31. Devine finished with 31 saves while Mike Spillane, who started in place of Joe Fallon, had 27.

Dartmouth is back in action next weekend traveling to St. Lawrence and Clarkson for its first ECAC Hockey games of the season.