Dartmouth Men's Hockey is Bested by Harvard, 4-1

Monday, January 18

Cambridge, Mass.

3:00 p.m.

Dartmouth College

Harvard

Dartmouth Men's Hockey is Bested by Harvard, 4-1

1/18/2010 5:00:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

By: Dartmouth

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Despite getting the shots on net, the Dartmouth men's hockey team was unable to overcome a two-goal second period by Harvard, falling to the Crimson, 4-1 on Monday afternoon at the Bright Hockey Center. Harvard needed just six shots in the second, scoring back-to-back goals midway through the frame to take the lead.

With no shots on net midway through the first period the Big Green (4-13-0, 2-6-0 ECAC) looked a little tight and Harvard (4-10-2, 3-5-2 ECAC) took advantage as the Crimson broke through at 15:34 off a Louis Leblanc goal. Alex Killorn passed in front of the net to Leblanc who took a shot on netminder Jody O'Neill that was orginally saved but with a second effort Leblanc was able to poke the puck in for the score.

Matt Reber (Edina, Minn.) looked like he had a good chance to get Dartmouth on the board but his back handed shot was saved by goalie Ryan Carroll as the Big Green continued to battle and look for shots. Joe Stejskal (Grand Rapids, Minn.) also had a chance two minutes later with a centering pass but Carroll again was up for the challenge.

Dartmouth pressured Harvard in the final five minutes and despite not having a shot in the first 15:00 minutes, ended the frame with 15 shots to the Crimson's 12.

Evan Stephens (Bessemer, Mich.) evened things up at 14:06 as he, Reber and Nick Walsh (Shannonville, Ont.) hooked up for an odd-man rush that Stephens getting the first goal of the game and his fourth of the season.

The Big Green continued to take it to the Crimson and Carroll in the second period, increasing the pressure as Dartmouth had recorded 21 shots on net just 11:00 into the second stanza.

At 6:54, Leblanc broke the tie again as he stole the puck and skated furiously down the ice with both teams trailing behind. As he started to go just wide of the net he shot and the puck snuck past O'Neill on his glove side.

A second Crimson goal less than two minutes later had Harvard with all the momentum as James Mello (Rehoboth, Mass.) came on in relief of O'Neill. Joe Gaudet (Etna, N.H.) had a shorthanded shot that rang off the post in the final minute but the Big Green went into the second break down, 3-1.

The third period had Dartmouth playing catch-up, something the Big Green has struggled with this season. Both sides had some close calls as Mello and Carroll were able to withstand everything that was thrown at them.

With an empty net in favor of the extra skater, the Big Green tried to get something going in the final three minutes of play but it was Harvard that took advantage with the an empty netter for the fourth goal of the contest.

Carroll got the win for his second of the season. The junior finished with 36 saves. O'Neill took the loss for Dartmouth and is now 4-12-0 on the season. He made 14 saves while Mello saved all the shots he saw, finishing with 11.

The Big Green will be back in action this weekend, traveling to Albany to take on Rensselaer, Friday and Union on Saturday. Game time for both days will be 7:00 pm.