Men's Hockey Earns Tie with Cornell

Friday, January 28

Hanover, N.H.

7:00 PM

Dartmouth College

CORNELL

1/28/2011 7:32:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

By: Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H. - Connor Goggin (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) notched the game-tying goal late in the third period, but the No. 18 Dartmouth men's hockey team was unable to net the go-ahead as the Big Green skated to a 2-2 tie with Cornell on Friday night in Thompson Arena. Goggin's goal was the first for him this season as Rob Smith (Brooks, Alta.) tallied the opening goal for Dartmouth.

The tie gives the Big Green an 11-6-3 record, 7-4-2 in the ECAC and 3-1-1 in the Ivy League while Cornell is now 8-9-2 overall, 6-5-2 in the ECAC and 1-3-1 in the Ivies.

An exciting college hockey game in Hanover had both sides with several great chances but the goalies were the stars of the show as the Big Red's rookie goalie, Andy Iles, finished with 31 saves and junior netminder James Mello (Rehoboth, Mass.) had 17. Each goaltender made athletic saves as both were pressured for most of the contest.

Despite being tied in shots at the first break of the game, there was no score on the board. Dartmouth seemed to hold the advantage in quality of shots as the Big Green had several great chances in the waning minutes of the period.

The Big Green's slew of shots began when Kyle Reeds (St. Louis, Mo.) dangled a pass to Evan Stephens (Bessemer, Mich.) for a rush shot on Iles as Stephens' shot was saved down low. Then traffic in front resulted in shots by Matt Reber (Edina, Minn.) and Scott Fleming (Plainfield, Ont.) as Iles spent a better part of the next couple of minutes sprawled out on the ice making saves with every part of his body.

Excitement early in the second frame had the Big Red looking like they took the lead, but after video review it was whistled no goal.

But the Big Green did take the lead 4:51 into the period off a terrific follow-through shot by senior Rob Smith (Brooks, Alta.). Smith got a turnover at center ice and skated in alone on Iles. His initial shot sent the Big Red goalie down on the ice, making the save, but Smith was there to gather the puck up and put it in past the prone netminder as he skated past the net.

But less then a minute later the Big Red tied the game at 1-1 on a two-on-one situation. A hit along the boards by Joe Stejskal (Grand Rapids, Minn.) took the Dartmouth defender out of the play as Stephens was the only Big Green player there to try and stop the play. Nick D'Agostino and Sean Collins passed back and forth before Collins' shot sailed over Mello's shoulder for the equalizer.

That goal gave the visiting team some momentum as the Big Red put several shots on Mello late in the frame. But Dartmouth still held the advantage in that category after two periods, 21-13.

Cornell took the lead at 13:13 of the final frame when Tyler Roeszler took a shot on Mello that the goalie saved. Unfortunately the rebound came right out front to a trailing Joe Devin who got the put back for the go-ahead score.

A shot by defenseman Connor Goggin (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) tied the game 8:12. Goggin was just trying to get the puck down low as he sailed it toward the net, instead it slammed off of Mathieu Brisson's right shoulder and sailed into the back of twine.

A flurry of shots at the end of the third period by Dartmouth came up empty as the two sides headed for overtime. Both had a shot in the extra frame but the goalies were up to the task as each team earned ties for the second time this season.

The Big Green will be back in action tomorrow night with a 7 p.m. tilt against Colgate.