Crema Scores Late, Buffalo Posts Shutout in 2-0 League Win

Saturday, November 5

Hanover, N.H.

7:00 PM

Dartmouth College

2-0-1, 1-0-1

Colgate

1-4-4, 0-1-1

Colgate

Dartmouth

Crema Scores Late, Buffalo Posts Shutout in 2-0 League Win

11/5/2016 9:44:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score Bob Gaudet Troy Crema Devin Buffalo Carl Hesler Box Score - Dartmouth 2, Colgate 0 Highlights (ILDN) PDF Box Score

By: Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H. – Senior Troy Crema has shown a knack for scoring big goals this season. And it's only three games into the year.

Crema scored his second of the season with 2:16 remaining in regulation to break a scoreless game and give the Dartmouth men's hockey team a 1-0 lead against visiting Colgate Saturday night at Thompson Arena.

Junior and team captain Carl Hesler added an empty netter in the final minute to seal the 2-0 win and give classmate and starting goaltender Devin Buffalo the first shutout of his career.

The Big Green improved to 2-0-1 overall and 1-0-1 in ECAC Hockey play with the late-game victory, taking three of a possible four points on the weekend. The Raiders fell to 1-4-4 with the loss and are 0-1-1 in conference games after a draw at Harvard Friday.

“This was amazing for me and the whole team, really,” Buffalo said afterward. “My dad came in from Alberta to see me play college hockey for the first time and to post a shutout and a one-goal game yesterday with him here was an incredible feeling.”

“I've been preparing for this for two years, waiting for my time,” Buffalo continued. “Both mental and physical preparation have come into helping me to be ready to step in and help this team right now.”

Buffalo needed to make just 21 saves in the game — his lowest total of the season — thanks in large part to a Dartmouth defensive unit that cracked down on limiting shots from in close and second chances. The forward group that pressured the points and made Colgate miss the net also played a factor in helping Dartmouth to its first shutout since last January (Princeton, 2-0).

The shutout win was made possible, though, by the timely scoring of Crema. The senior netted the game winner against No. 11 Michigan in the season opener last Saturday night with 49 seconds remaining, but didn't feel the need to wait that long this Saturday as he blasted a slapshot over the shoulder of an otherwise perfect Charlie Finn in the Raiders' net.

Finn stopped 26 in the loss, beaten only by Crema's bid. Hesler picked up the only assist on the winner, then slid a long bid from behind his own blueline into the open netmouth at the other end with 43 seconds reaming for his second point of the night and first tally of the year.

Once again, the Green and White were bailed out by their five-on-five play as the power play was 0-for-8 in the game. The penalty kill held strong for the home team, killing off four penalties against the Raiders and all nine over the course of the weekend.

Dartmouth held a 28-21 edge in shots, including a 13-5 edge in the third period.

“Glad to say we came away from a tough weekend with three points,” head coach Bob Gaudet '81 said. “Colgate is a big physical team who we've seen 10 times in the last two-plus years, so we are very familiar with their style. The hard work we put in tonight really translated to a much better second half of the game.

“Buff is just so calming and you can see that in everything he does. He makes everyone else in tight situations more relaxed,” Gaudet added. “Then you've got Troy, who just has a thing for scoring timely goals when we need them most. We've already seen it twice this year from him.”

The Big Green begin a seven-game road trip Friday night at No. 6 Quinnipiac before a Saturday night tilt at Princeton.