Men's Hockey Powers Past Princeton, 5-3, Sweeps ECAC Weekend

Saturday, November 5

Hanover, N.H.

7:00 PM

Dartmouth College

PRINCETON

Men's Hockey Powers Past Princeton, 5-3, Sweeps ECAC Weekend

11/5/2011 10:14:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

By: Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H. - In front of a raucous crowd of 3,931 at Thompson Arena, the Dartmouth men's hockey team defeated Princeton, 5-3, Saturday night. A balanced offensive attack helped the Big Green (3-1, 2-0 ECAC) sweep the home weekend with back-to-back five-goal efforts in their first two ECAC Hockey games of the season.

Junior Dustin Walsh (Shannonville, Ontario) had a goal and two assists to cap a five-point weekend to open league play.

Senior goalkeeper James Mello (Rehoboth, Mass.) turned aside 36 shots from the Tigers (1-3-1, 1-2 ECAC) on the night, including 29 in the first two periods.

Dartmouth most recently swept a home weekend last February when it beat Quinnipiac (3-1) and Princeton (4-1), the same two opponents that made the trip to Hanover this weekend.

Princeton's Rob Kleebaum scored just 44 seconds into the game on a 2-on-1 opportunity. That would be the last lead of the night for the Tigers as Dartmouth scored the next three goals to open the game up.

Junior Alex Goodship (Blackfalds, Alberta) tied it just over two minutes after Kleebaum's first with a shot to the top right corner over the glove of Princeton's Mike Condon. Goodship received a pass at the right circle from senior Paul Lee (Garden City, N.Y.) below the goal line to set up the one-timer. Junior Jason Bourgea (South Burlington, Vt.) also picked up his first point of the season with Lee as both were credited with assists.

Walsh scored his second in as many games 6:21 into the first period. Junior captain Mike Keenan (South Weymouth, Mass.) fired a shot on net from the left point that Condon kicked out into the slot. Walsh collected the loose puck, deked out a defender and found space between the pads of the Tigers' netminder for the tally.

Sophomore Nick Lovejoy (Orford, N.H.) picked up the first point of his collegiate career with an assist on the play, firing the puck around the boards that ended up on Keenan's stick.

Just a 1:13 into the second period, sophomore Eric Robinson (Foxboro, Mass.) made it a two-goal game with his first of the year. Senior Nick Walsh's (Shannonville, Ontario) strong forecheck in the corner caused a turnover. Walsh sent the puck out front to a wide-open Robinson at the top of the crease for a tap-in goal between the legs of Condon.

Princeton's Jack Berger pulled his team back to within one, 3-2, on the power play just over 14 minutes into the middle period.

Freshman Tyler Sikura (Aurora, Ontario) netted his second of the season when he finished off a pretty play by linemate Dustin Walsh.

The younger Walsh brother took a pass in the defensive zone from senior alternate captain Jim Gaudet (Etna, N.H.) and broke down the right side of the ice. A quick move along the halfboards shook off a Princeton defender, causing the Tigers' player to lose his stick in the process. With an open passing lane, Walsh slid the puck down low to Sikura who took the puck and jammed home a shot under the pads of the Princeton goaltender.

Kleebaum's second of the night made it 4-3 as he found some space on the power play in the low slot.

But a Brandon McNally (Saugus, Mass.) empty-net goal with 16 seconds left sealed the win, 5-3. The goal was McNally's first in a Dartmouth uniform and was assisted by Dustin Walsh and sophomore defender Taylor Boldt (Niwot, Colo.).

The Big Green were unable to once again capitalize on its chances with the man advantage, finishing the night 0-for-2. Princeton was 2-for-8 on the power play and benefited from three delay of game penalties assessed to the home team.

Dartmouth will continue its six-game homestand to open the 2011-12 season when it plays host to Colgate and Cornell next weekend at Thompson Arena. Colgate will make the trip to Hanover Friday night with the Big Red playing the Saturday tilt. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m. starts.