Dartmouth and Harvard Play to 3-3 Tie in Season Opener For Both

Saturday, November 1

Cambridge, Mass.

7:30 PM

Dartmouth College

Harvard

Dartmouth and Harvard Play to 3-3 Tie in Season Opener For Both

11/1/2014 10:27:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

By: Dartmouth

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – For the second straight year, the Dartmouth men's hockey team opened its regular season with an overtime contest. But unlike the 2-1 OT defeat in Newark last October to Princeton, Saturday night saw the Big Green and Harvard play to a 3-3 draw at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center.

The last two Division I hockey programs to play in 2014-15, the Crimson (0-0-1, 0-0-1 ECAC Hockey) and Big Green (0-0-1, 0-0-1 ECAC Hockey) did not disappoint the crowd of 2,734 — many of whom were cheering for the visiting team. The game was a back-and-forth affair with quality scoring, solid defensive zone play and good goaltending at both ends.

“This was a good college hockey game and a great start for us this season,” head coach Bob Gaudet said afterward. “Both teams played hard all night. There was good end-to-end play, but also solid play by the defenses, too.”

The tie gives each team a point in the ECAC Hockey standings as it was not only the regular season opener for both, but the first conference match-up of the year as well.

Dartmouth opened the scoring at 10:53 of the first with a blast from senior Rick Pinkston at the point. The 1-0 lead last just 14 seconds as Harvard's Alexander Kerfoot tied it up on the doorstep at the other end after the ensuing faceoff.

The story of the night for the team from the Upper Valley was the play of fifth-year senior Eric Robinson, back in the lineup after missing the final 32 games of last season with a shoulder injury. The Foxborough, Massachusetts, native picked up an assist on the Pinkston tally and then netted the go-ahead marker at 7:37 of the second — his first goal since Mar. 10, 2013 when he scored in Game 3 at home against Harvard in a first-round series at Thompson Arena.

After Robinson's goal tied the game Dartmouth's go-ahead marker came from senior Brandon McNally with just 1:05 left in the middle frame. The goal was his first of the season, a blast in the high slot and the result of a pretty passing play from Tim O'Brien and Brandon Kirk. The assist was the first career point for Kirk, an outlet pass that sprung O'Brien on a partial break before a drop to McNally for the goal.

In the crease, junior goaltender James Kruger was strong, turning aside a career-high 34 in the draw. Kruger's previous high was 23 in a 1-1 tie last January at home against Cornell. On this night, though, Kruger was stellar when he was most needed to be, bailing out the Green with several key saves, including three in overtime.

The Crimson's Steve Michalek was also up to the task, stopping 29.

For Harvard, the offense went through defenseman Patrick McNally and his two goals. His second of the night found space through traffic and off the inside of the right post with 10:10 left in regulation, proving to be the game-tying goal.

Neither team was able to muster any offense on the power play, as both Dartmouth (0-1) and Harvard (0-2) failed to score with the man-advantage. The home team held a 37-32 edge in shots on goal.

These two will meet again in roughly three weeks as Harvard travels to Hanover for a Tuesday night game on Nov. 18.

The Big Green remain on the road next weekend when they travel to No. 2 Union and RPI, the two teams they played in last season's conference tournament.