No. 15 BC Edges Dartmouth in Wild Game to Win Ledyard Classic

Saturday, January 3

Hanover, N.H.

7:00 PM

Dartmouth College

BOSTON COLLEGE

No. 15 BC Edges Dartmouth in Wild Game to Win Ledyard Classic

1/3/2015 10:00:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

By: Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H. – The Dartmouth men's hockey did all it could to pull the upset against No. 15 Boston College in the Ledyard Classic Championship Game Saturday night at Thompson Arena, but a late goal helped the Eagles edge the home team for the 3-2 win.

The Big Green (6-5-1) held a 2-1 lead heading into the third period and were in position to finish off the visitors, but three posts in the game and timely scoring from a veteran Boston College (11-7-1) squad was the difference.

For the Eagles, this marked their second Ledyard Classic title, having also won in 2010.

Junior Teddy Doherty was named the weekend's Most Valuable Player as he scored the game winner with just 3:56 left in regulation to put BC on top, 3-2; a score that would stand as final.

Dartmouth's James Kruger was arguably the best player on the ice all weekend as he stopped another 27 shots Saturday night and was named the top goalie of the showcase tournament.

“This was a fun weekend of hockey,” head coach Bob Gaudet '81 said. “We didn't get the results we had hoped for, but there were a lot of positive things we can pull from these two games moving forward.

“From start to finish, I thought we played really well. We were physical, we had great goaltending and we battled for every loose puck for 60 minutes tonight and 65 minutes last night,” Gaudet added. “You have to find a way to win games against very good teams like the ones we played this weekend.”

After Doherty's goal, Dartmouth looked to try and pull even again. With Kruger on the bench in favor of the extra skater for the final 1:36 of regulation, the home team had several quality chances to put the equalizer passed BC's starting netminder Brad Barone. However, a collapsing Eagles defensive core and big stops from the senior goalie helped the team from Chestnut Hill hold on for the one-goal victory.

After falling behind 1-0 in the second following a Adam Gilmour goal at the 3:50 mark, Dartmouth answered back with markers from Brett Patterson and Jack Barre at 9:59 and 16:59, respectively.

Patterson's tally was the result of some nifty footwork in the high slot and a well-placed shot that found space in traffic and settled in the back of the net. Barre's was a workman-like goal that required the junior winger to barrel through players at top of the paint before depositing a puck inside the far post to put his team up for the first time in the game.

Kyle Nickerson and Eric Neiley each had assists in the game to give them two points each on the weekend. Corey Kalk and Geoff Ferguson had the Big Green's other two assists.

However, a goal from Chris Calnan 1:50 into the third and the late marker from Doherty proved to be too much as the Eagles held on.

BC benefited from the return of five players from the World Junior Championships in Montreal who made the trip to Hanover following Team USA's loss in the Quarterfinals Friday afternoon.

Dartmouth was 1-for-5 with the man-advantage, while the Eagles were 1-for-2 with the extra skater.

In the first game of the day, No.11 Denver defeated Brown, 5-3, on the strength of a Trevore Moore hat trick and four points from Danton Heinen.

The Big Green are back in action on Friday night in Durham, N.H., for a 7:30 p.m. contest against Granite State rival UNH in a game broadcast live on the NBC Sports Network. Dartmouth returns home two days later to play No. 10 Vermont on Sunday, Jan. 11 at 4 p.m.

All-Tournament Team:
Sam Lafferty - Brown
Trevor Moore - Denver
Danton Heinen - Denver
Brett Patterson - Dartmouth
Adam Gilmour - Boston College
James Kruger (Top Goalie) - Dartmouth

MVP - Teddy Doherty - Boston College