Dartmouth Men's Hockey Drops Heartbreaker to Clarkson in ECACHL Semifinals

Friday, March 16

Albany, N.Y.

8:00 PM

Dartmouth College

Clarkson

J.T. Wyman Earns First League Awards of the Season

Dartmouth Men's Hockey Drops Heartbreaker to Clarkson in ECACHL Semifinals

3/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey

By: Dartmouth

ALBANY, N.Y. – Steve Zalewski scored with 41 seconds left in regulation to lift the Clarkson Golden Knights to a 5-4 victory over the Dartmouth men's hockey team in the semifinal game of the ECAC Hockey League championships. J.T. Wyman (Wayzata, Minn.) potted the tying goal with 1:40 left in the game before Zalewski's heroics.

“This was a great college hockey game,” said head coach Bob Gaudet. “I'm so proud of the way these guys battled back from a 3-1 deficit. Other teams might have given up but these guys weren't going to quit. I thought both teams really put it out there and they made it an enjoyable game.”

Clarkson took an early 1-0 lead in the first period off a power play strike by Shawn Weller. The Knights pressured Big Green netminder Mike Devine (Orchard Park, N.Y.) early in the extra-man opportunity as Nick Dodge held the puck behind the net passing to Weller who wrapped it around the left post, between Devine and the inside twine. After a few minutes of review by referee Peter Feola, it was ruled a goal and the Knights were on the board. Dartmouth ended the period with its first power play opportunity, pressuring Clarkson and goalie David Leggio, ending the period with 11 shots to Clarkson's nine.

Dartmouth tied things up at 8:48 of the second. Dan Shribman (Swampscott, Mass.) created the momentum for the Big Green on a breakaway that was saved by Leggio. Dartmouth kept the puck in that end for several shots. Shribman set up the tying goal passing around behind the net to Jon Grecu (Calgary, Alta.). Grecu shot to Rob Pritchard (Burnaby, B.C) on the point as Pritchard fired a laser that went over Leggio's left shoulder.

The Golden Knights answered 20 seconds later to make the score, 2-1, as Dodge, Mike Sullivan and Grant Clitsome connected on a goal that squeaked the past the line as Devine lay on his back after the initial save.

With four minutes left in the period the Knights took a two-goal lead. A breakaway by Dan Tuttle and Max Kolu had Devine go prone in the goal anticipating the low shot, Mike Willemsen instead shot high over the Dartmouth goalie for the score.

Grant Lewis (Upper St. Clair, Pa.) opened the final stanza up with a goal for the Big Green. Ben Lovejoy (Orford, N.H.) brought the puck down passing to Kevin Swallow (Stanwood, Mich.) at the blue line. Swallow took a few steps, passing across ice to Lewis on the right side circle with the senior one-timing the puck past Leggio.

Clarkson squashed the Big Green's momentum for the second time in the game with another quick score. Chris D'Alvise stole the uck from a Big Green defender skating in alone on Devine. D'Alvise did a nifty wraparound to make the score, 4-2.

The Big Green then did its own answering at 13:40 as T.J. Galiardi (Calgary, Alta.) and David Jones (North Vancouver, B.C.) potted the first Dartmouth power play of the evening. Jones, Dartmouth's Hobey Baker candidate got the puck in traffic in front of the Clarkson net, passing to Galiardi at the right post for the freshman's 13^th goal of the season.

Dartmouth tied the game at 4-4 off a rocket shot by Wyman at 1:40. Galiardi passed to Wyman at the right side of the net shot, the junior blasted the puck past Leggio who never even saw it. Swallow was also credited with an assist

Nick Johnson (Calgary, Alta.) and Jones both tried for the gamewinner in the final minute as Johnson's shot was saved and Jones' hit the post. But it was Clarkson's Zalewski that was the hero, scoring the winning goal with :46 seconds on the clock.

Devine finished with 24 saves while Leggio was credited with 25.

The Big Green still has a chance for its first NCAA bid in 26 years as they will square off with St. Lawrence tomorrow at 4:30 in the consolation game. There are still a number of things that could happen for Dartmouth to get an at-large bid into the national tournament.