Dartmouth Men's Hockey Has Winning Streak Snapped by Cornell

Saturday, November 22

Ithaca, N.Y.

7:00 PM

Dartmouth College

Cornell

Dartmouth Men's Hockey Has Winning Streak Snapped by Cornell

11/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey

By: Dartmouth

ITHACA, N.Y. - The Dartmouth men's hockey team dropped a 3-1 ECAC Hockey game to the Cornell Big Red on Saturday as the Big Green's five-game win streak came to an end. Cornell used two goals in the second period to take the win and improve to 4-0-2 overall and in league play. The loss dropped the Big Green to 5-3 overall and 5-2 in the ECAC.

Less than a minute into the game Cornell went on the power play and with its first shot, rang one off the post before burying the puck into the net at 17:22. Michael Kennedy batted the puck down, throwing it in front before backhanding it behind Dartmouth netminder Jody O'Neill (Nepean, Ont.) for the first goal of the contest. It was just the fifth extra-man goal the Big Green has given up this season.

Dartmouth got its first power play opportunity at 15:36 managing four quick shots on Big Red goalie Ben Scrivens. Despite the pressure by Dartmouth the nation's top defense was up to the task.

O'Neill stood on his head at 10:06 when the Big Red had three tremendous shots on the netminder. Riley Nash attempted to wrap one around O'Neill's legs but the rookie made the stick save.

Three minutes later a point-blank shot by Joe Gaudet (Etna, N.H.) from between the circles almost had Dartmouth on the board but Scrivens made the save.

Matching penalties with under a minute and a half to go in the frame had the ice open for both sides as Cornell had the early shots before Dartmouth began to pressure Scrivens. It was not enough as the Big Green was unable to get the equalizer, going into the locker room down, 1-0.

The Big Red went up 2-0 at 16:47 after 00 took a hard shot that was saved by O'Neill but 00 was there to one-time the rebound into the back of the net as Dartmouth found itself down by two goals for the first time since Nov. 2.

Cornell went on the power play immediately after the goal and intense pressure on O'Neill had the rookie goalie under fire for almost the entire two minutes. The Dartmouth penalty killing unit was up to the task however helping O'Neill out and killing the opportunity.

A hard slap shot by Justin Krueger at the blueline midway through the stanza had the Big Red suddenly with an almost insurmountable lead.

Cornell's pressure continued as Dartmouth had to kill a 5-on-3 opportunity as the Big Green looked to get something going. Doug Jones (Marietta, Ga.) got two shots off but couldn't get his team on the board.

With a Cornell player in the box at 6:03 Dartmouth had its second power play chance of the contest. Two blocked shots by Evan Stephens (Bessemer, Mich.) as well as shots through traffic in front of Scrivens had the Big Green pounding the Big Red netminder but it was not enough as Cornell kept Dartmouth off the board.

Jones lit the lamp with his first collegiate goal of the season at 16:06. Andrew Owsiak (Moose Jaw, Sask.) and Adam Estoclet (Orono, Minn.) had a give-and-go coming down the ice as Owsiak took a shot that Scrivens saved but Jones was there to put the puck behind the out-of-position goalie.

Dartmouth had Cornell on its heels for much of the third period as the Big Green outshot the Big Red 18-4. Dartmouth had its first 5-on-3 chance of the contest with under 5:00 left to play in the game. Shots by Stejskal, Gaudet and Owsiak were not enough as the visitors couldn't find an answer for Scrivens and Cornell held on for the win.

Dartmouth will now play a pair of non league games as the Big Green travels to Providence College for a 7:00 pm game Friday before coming home for a 4:00 pm tilt with defending national champions, Boston College. The game will also be Dartmouth's annual toy drive for the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD). Fans are encouraged to bring a new unwrapped toy with them to the game.