Big Green Head to North Country for ECAC Hockey Action

Game 21
Dartmouth Big Green (12-5-3, 7-4-2 ECAC Hockey) at
St. Lawrence Saints (13-9-2, 8-3-1 ECAC Hockey)
Friday, Jan. 25 - 7 p.m.
Canton, N.Y. - Appleton Arena (3,200)

Game 22
Dartmouth Big Green (12-5-3, 7-4-2 ECAC Hockey) at
No. 7 Clarkson Golden Knights (18-6-0, 10-2-0 ECAC Hockey)
Saturday, Jan. 26 - 3 p.m.
Potsdam, N.Y. - Cheel Arena (3,000)

On the Road Again
After wrapping up a four-game home stand last weekend, Dartmouth hits the road where it's 8-4-0 this season. The Big Green won the first three games at Thompson Arena by a combined score of 14-4 before skating to a 2-2 tie with Rensselaer in the finale on Jan.19. The squad has won four-of its last-five away from Hanover as it prepares for its second to last road trip of the season. After back-to-back home series against Quinnipiac (W, 5-2)-Princeton (W, 6-2) and Union (W, 3-0)-RPI, the program heads to the North Country to take on St. Lawrence and Clarkson for the first time this year.

Taking Care of Business
The Green and White have been playing quality hockey thus far in 2013, earning a record of 5-1-1 in the New Year. Since falling, 2-1, to RPI on Jan. 4, the team from the Upper Valley has a six-game unbeaten streak. Dating back to Dec. 8, Dartmouth has earned at least one point in nine-of-10 contests. During the streak, opponents haven't scored more than two goals in any one game against the Big Green defense and junior netminder Lindsay Holdcroft.

Rank and File
Heading into the game against No.7 Clarkson, the team from the Upper Valley is still in search of their first win against a ranked opponent this season. They are 0-3-1 when facing top-10 programs, erasing a two-goal third period deficit to draw a tie against No. 5 Boston College at Thompson Arena on Nov. 12. The team's last win against a nationally-ranked foe was on Nov. 26, of last season as they topped No.10 Northeastern, 4-3 in overtime.

Defenseman Creating Offense
Senior defenseman Sasha Nanji enjoyed the return trip home, scoring goals in three-of the-four contests. During the run, the Markham, Ontario, native has had a pair of multi-point games, while scoring all three of her markers in the first period. Freshman Olivia Whitford continues to produce solid offensive numbers from her blue-line position, picking up her seventh helper of the season in the first period against RPI.

Top of the Line
Dartmouth's top line of Jenna Hobeika, Reagan Fischer and Camille Dumais continued their dominant play over the weekend producing all three of the squad's goals in the victory against Union. Fischer tallied a pair early in the first and Hobeika added some insurance later in the period netting her sixth goal of the season. Dumais and Fischer are now tied with a team-best 12 goals. When the trio skates together this season they have produced 41 points (19g-22a), while leading the team to a 7-1-1 mark. Over the last four games, the line has scored 10-of the team's-16 goals. Although Dumais didn't score over the weekend she did have in a hand in all three goals against the Dutchwomen, picking up three assists.

Fast Starts
During their six-game unbeaten streak, the Big Green has scored 12 goals in the first period. Only once have they failed to hold on to the first period lead as the Engineers rallied to score a pair of third-period markers to force overtime and the eventual tie on Jan.19. The team from the Upper Valley has scored first five times in the last six contests, while outscoring their opponents, 12-1, in the opening period in 2013.

Freshman Firepower
The Green and White boast a strong core of first-year players led by Laura Stacey. Through the first 17 games of her collegiate career the Kleinburg, Ontario, native has 4 tallies and a team-leading 13 assists. Stacey has five multi-point games this season and is currently riding a three-game point streak. Other newcomers making an impact this season are Ailish Forfar and Lindsey Allen. Forfar has twice been named ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Week and leads all freshmen in the conference with three game-winning goals, while Allen is tied for fifth on the team with 12 points (5g-7a).

Steady as She Goes
Holdcroft had another solid ECAC Hockey series in goal, stopping 34-of-36 shots. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native is now 11-4-3 on the season. After the weekend, she lowered her goals-against average to 2.07 and upped her save percentage to .909. Holdcroft picked up the 10th shutout of her career and second of the season against Union, turning aside 16 shots.

Special Teams
Dartmouth's penalty killers continued their impressive run, killing 15-of-16 penalties last weekend. In the opener, the Big Green killed all six of the Dutchwomen's power-play chances. Against the Engineers, the Green and White committed a season-high 10 penalties. Dartmouth killed off the first seven before allowing a power-play late in the third. The team from the Upper Valley is third in the conference, killing 86.7% of opponents' man-advantage opportunities this season. They are also the second-most penalized team in the league with 216 penalty minutes through 20 games.

Scouting the Saints
St. Lawrence returns home to Appleton Arena to host its first conference game since Dec. 1. The Saints are 8-5-0 in Canton this year and currently tied for fourth place in the league with Quinnipiac (17 points). St. Lawrence had a tough road swing last weekend falling 6-0 at Cornell and tying Colgate, 1-1. Offensively, senior Kelly Sabatine and freshman Abbey McRae pace the attack with 12 and 11 goals, while Amanda Boulier has a team-high 20 assists. Between the pipes, St. Lawrence is led by sophomore Carmen MacDonald, who earned ECAC Goaltender of the Week honors on Jan. 8. MacDonald has a record of 11-9-2 this year with a .911 save percentage.

Scouting the Golden Knights
Clarkson enters the weekend ranked No. 7 in the country having won three-of its last-four conference contests, with the lone set back coming last time out against No. 4 Cornell on Jan. 19. The Golden Knights' leading scorer is junior Jamie Lee Rattray, who has 16 goals and 17 assists through 22 games this season. Rattray is tied for the Division I lead in game-winning goals with six. Clarkson has a potent offensive attack leading the conference in assists with 123 and sitting fourth in goals scored with 70. Freshman and two-time ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Week, Erin Ambrose leads the league with 23 helpers, while Carly Mercer is tied for third with 22. Clarkson is led in net by two-time ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Month (October, November) and a four-time Goaltender of the Week, Erica Howe. Howe boasts a .932 save percentage, which is third best in the league, while recording a conference-best 16 wins thus far.

Against the Teams Last Season
The Big Green and the Saints split the regular season series, with the visiting team winning each contest. Early in the season, Dartmouth traveled to New York and won 1-0 thanks to a power-play goal from Fischer late in the third. The Saints got their revenge shutting out the Green and White, 2-0, at Thompson Arena later in the year. St. Lawrence had the last laugh as it traveled back to Hanover for the first round of the ECAC Hockey tournament sweeping the series to end Dartmouth's season. Clarkson won its season series against Dartmouth 1-0-1. The Golden Knights erased a two-goal third period deficit inside Cheel Arena against the team from the Upper Valley to earn a point before coming into Thompson Arena and scoring a 1-0 victory later in the season.

Against the Squads All-Time
Dartmouth is 29-25-2 all-time and 8-18-0 under head coach Mark Hudak against St. Lawrence. The Big Green are 12-7-4 against Clarkson all-time, while posting a 10-5-4 mark under Hudak.

First 40 Minutes
The key for the Big Green is to hold a lead after 40 minutes of play. When leading through two periods, the Green and White are 11-0-1 this season, a figure that reached its current state after the team held a 2-0 advantage going into the third against RPI. The Engineers were the first team all season to battle back from a second-period deficit against the Green and White to earn a point. On the other hand, when trailing after two periods they are 0-4-1.

Schedules