Dartmouth Men's Hockey Can't Hold Lead, Ties Colgate, 6-6

Friday, February 19

Hanover, N.H.

7:00 PM

Dartmouth College

COLGATE

Dartmouth Men's Hockey Can't Hold Lead, Ties Colgate, 6-6

2/19/2010 9:09:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

By: Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H. – Despite taking four two-goal leads on visiting Colgate, the Dartmouth men's hockey team was unable to seal the deal, tying the Raiders 6-6 in a high scoring overtime contest.

The Big Green struck first just minutes into the opening frame. Joe Stejskal (Grand Rapids, Minn.) had his shot blocked with netminder Alex Evin moving to the right. Andrew Owsiak (Moose Jaw, Sask.) was there to put it past Evin. Then two minutes later Scott Fleming (Plainfield, Ont.) gave his team a 2-0 lead. Adam Estoclet (Orono, Minn.) brought the puck down the boards, passing quickly over to a waiting Fleming who put the puck into the same twine that Owsiak had tickled just a few minutes earlier.

Keeping it a busy period, Colgate got one back at 13:55 when Ethan Cox was able to take advantage of an out-of-position Jody O'Neill (Nepean, Ont.).

Doug Jones (Marietta, Ga.) and Nick Walsh (Shannonville, Ont.) paired up for a third Dartmouth goal not quick a minute later. Walsh took a shot from the point that was blocked out to Jones who quickly turned around and put it past Evin for the score.

Fleming tallied an extra-man goal at 8:49, shooting on Evin from the point, putting through the goalie's legs. That goal knocked Evin from between the pipes as Bryan Bessette came on in relief.

Another Colgate goal at 6:24 kept the period lively. Francois Brisebois was able to put a second goal past O'Neill. The Raiders continued to make things interesting as the visiting team at 3:04. Brian Day and Nick Prockow each took shots on O'Neill with Day's being saved out to Wade Poplawski. Poplawski got the puck at the far right side of the cage, shooting almost sideways on O'Neill for the score as the Big Green saw it's lead evaporate to just one.

Despite outshooting the Raiders most of the period, Dartmouth lost its edge slightly towards the end of the stanza as Colgate came on, potting back-to-back goals on 14 shots, compared to the Big Green's 15.

Alex Goodship (Blackfalds, Alta.) picked a perfect time to score his first college goal, just 2:35 into the second period. Paul Lee put a shot on Bessette that the goalie saved, catching the puck between his pads. Goodship kept poking and eventually knocked the puck into the back of the net.

Midway through the period as Dartmouth had literally just put a man in the box for too many on the ice, Colgate gets its first power play goal, cutting the Dartmouth lead to one again, 5-4.

Senior defenseman Kevin McCarthy gave his team a boost with his first-ever collegiate point, a slap shot from just behond the blue line at 14:20 as Dartmouth took a 6-4 lead. Estoclet and Kyle Reeds (St. Louis, Mo.) both assisted.

Colgate the lead again with 6:40 left in the contest on an athletic goal by Jeremy Price. Day won the puck during a scrum in front, getting just over Price who leaped over a Dartmouth player and a sprawled O'Neill for the tally.

With 5:18 left to play Day put the capper on the Raiders comeback with his first goal of the evening, tying the game at 6-6 and putting the Big Green's back squarely up against the wall.

Dartmouth had a chance to get the win with 1:13 left in the overtime frame when the Raiders were whistled for a penalty and the Big Green had its fifth power play opportunity of the contest. Unfortunately Dartmouth could not come away with the goods as the game stayed knotted at six.

The Big Green is now 7-17-2 on the season, 5-12-2 in the ECAC while Colgate is 12-13-6, 9-8-2 in the league.

O'Neill finished with 35 saves while Colgate's two goalies combined for 23.

Tomorrow night Dartmouth will be back in action hosting Cornell in a 7:00 pm matchup that will also mark Senior Night for four Big Green seniors.