Dartmouth Men's Hockey Drops Game to Yale

Friday, February 5

New Haven, Conn.

7:00 PM

Dartmouth College

Yale

2/5/2010 9:15:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

By: Dartmouth

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Despite taking an early two-goal lead the Dartmouth men's hockey team dropped a close league game to Yale on Friday night at Ingalls Rink. James Mello (Rehoboth, Mass.) recorded a career-high 47 saves in the loss. The 4-2 score was the same the Bulldogs had in a victory over Dartmouth earlier this season.

Despite intense pressure form Yale in the early goings of the first period it was Dartmouth that struck first at 14:16. Adam Estoclet (Orono, Minn.) streaked down ice with the puck taking a shot on netminder Nick Maricic that was saved out to the right side of the cage. Scott Fleming (Plainfield, Ont.) was there to put a turnaround shot on net that snuck between Maricic and the post. Danny Markowitz (Jericho, N.Y.) picked up his third assist of the season on the goal.

The Big Green added another one at 7:16 as the two sides were skating four-on-four hockey. Andrew Owsiak (Moose Jaw, Sask.) brought the puck down, skating stride for stride with linemate Kyle Reeds (St. Louis, Mo.). Owsiak passed over to Reeds at Maricic followed Owsiak on the play and Reeds was able to put the puck past the freshman goaltender for the score.

Despite having only nine shots to Yale's 19 at the end of the first period, it was the Big Green that carried a lead into the first break. Dartmouth is 5-1 on the season when leading after the first period.

Billy Blase began the second stanza for the Bulldogs in net. Mello, between the pipes for the Big Green was huge to start the second as the sophomore prevented two sure Yale goals with incredible athleticism as Yale was buzzing all over the Dartmouth end.

The Bulldogs finally got on the board at 13:44 when Mark Arcobello stripped Matt Reber (Edina, Minn.) of the puck and skated in alone on Mello for a shorthanded goal.

Things got interesting at 10:35 when Yale was awarded a penalty shot after Jim Gaudet (Etna, N.H.) tripped up Broc Little as he skated in on Mello. Little tied the contest at 2-2 with that penalty shot as he faked Mello out and put the puck behind him.

Yale took the lead for the first time in the game at 2:24 of the second as Dartmouth had a player in the box serving a 5:00 penalty. Little converted a Denny Kearney pass for the go-ahead strike.

The two teams played fairly evenly throughout the third period. The Big Green had several chances but couldn't seem to get the puck past Blase as easily as it got past Maricic.

Mello continued to come up huge for Dartmouth as he made three saves in a row midway through the final stanza in the waning minutes of two penalties that had the teams skating four-on-four.

Yale recorded its second power play goal at 2:53 when Sean Backman roofed the puck up and over Mello. The goal was reviewed and determined that the goal crossed over just enough to give the Bulldogs a 4-2 lead.

Mello finished the contest with a career-high 47 saves as Blase finished with 18 and Maricic had seven.

The loss drops the Big Green to 6-16 overall, 4-11 in the ECAC while Yale improves to 14-10-2, 8-6 in the league. Dartmouth will be back in action Saturday afternoon at Brown. Game time is slated for 4:00 pm.