Men's Hockey Squanders a Four-Goal Lead in Loss to Union

Friday, February 12

Hanover, N.H.

7:00 PM

Dartmouth College

UNION

Men's Hockey Squanders a Four-Goal Lead in Loss to Union

2/12/2010 9:00:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

By: Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H. - The Dartmouth men's hockey team took a four-goal first period lead over visiting Union on Friday but ended up falling to the Dutchmen, 5-4.

In a rather anti-climatic way, Dartmouth got on the board first with a power play just seconds into the extra-man opportunity and seconds into the opening period. Doug Jones (Marietta, Ga.) took it to netminder Keith Kinkaid as Adam Estoclet (Orono, Minn.) was there to tip it in. Matt Reber (Edina, Minn.) also assisted.

That goal opened up the flood gates as the Big Green potted three more goals in under 10:00. Paul Lee (Garden City, N.Y.) lit the lamp for the second time in two games with another power play strike at 14:23. The assists went to two freshmen Alex Goodship (Blackfalds, Alta.) and Jason Bourgea (South Burlington, Vt.). The assist was Bourgea's first point of the season.

Then at 13:53, Scott Fleming (Plainfield, Ont.) and Estoclet teamed up for the third Dartmouth goal. Estoclet took a shot that Fleming followed up with his own shot and goal. That goal chased Kinkaid from between the pipes as Corey Milan came on in relief.

Not quite a minute later a blisteringly fast Andrew Owsiak (Moose Jaw, Sask.) received a pass from defenseman Evan Stephens (Bessemer, Mich.) for the fourth tally of the period. Joe Stejskal (Grand Rapids, Minn.) also assisted.

The Dutchmen had several chances to get on the board as Union led in shooting, 9-7 but Big Green goalie James Mello (Rehoboth, Mass.) was up to the task and was able to make every save.

The Dutchmen roared back in the second period with three unanswered goals as Dartmouth saw its lead slowly start to evaporate. Union tallied its first power play goal at 13:56 and then had an even strength at 3:37 before getting another extra-man tally with 00:37 left in the frame. Jeremy Walsh, Shawn Stuart and Jason Walters all scored for the visiting squad.

The Dutchmen went into the second break still holding the lead in shots 27-17.

Union continued to get the shots in the final period of play as the Dutchmen had all the momentum. Dartmouth just tried to keep a hard-working Union team from recording the tying goal.

Both teams had chances as Union hit the pipe and Jones had a point-blank shot snuffed by Milan.

The tying goal came at 6:13 on a fluke shot. Mike Schreiber brought the puck down and passed over to Wayne Simpson. Simpson shot the puck down towards the net, not intending a shot but Luke Cain was there to tip it over Mello's shoulder for the game-tying goal.

The go-ahead goal came just four minutes later when Adam Presizniuk took a fluke of a shot that was just at the side of the net. The puck bounced around behind the net over to the right side as Kyle Bodie there to corral it and put it past Mello glove-side.

The loss drops Dartmouth to 6-17-1, 4-12-1 in the league while Union improves to 16-7-6, 10-3-4 in ECAC Hockey play.

Mello finished with 38 saves. Kinkaid and Milan combined for 15 saves for Union.

Dartmouth will be back in action tomorrow night with a 7:00 pm matchup against Rensselaer.