Princeton

Princeton 4 - Dartmouth 4

Friday, February 21, 1997

Attendance: 2,447

by Ben Riefe, Asst. Sports Editor, The Dartmouth

While somewhat overshadowed by basketball's big games, the Big Green men's hockey team had a lot riding on this weekend as well. Clinging to the tenth and final ECAC playoff spot by their fingernails going into Friday's game, the Big Green came away with a 4-4 tie against Princeton to set up Saturday's battle with Yale.

However, the Big Green came out flat on Saturday night and were defeated by Yale for the second time this season, 4-1. The loss moved the Big Green into a tie with Yale, but because the Elis own a 2-0 record against Dartmouth they also have the tiebreaker advantage. Dartmouth will need a successful road trip next week to Harvard and Brown, plus some help from RPI and Union to regain a spot in the tournament.

Tigers claw back in 3rd period

Big hits sent bodies flying around Thompson on Friday night, as Dartmouth lived up to one of its early season goals to physically dominate the competition. A big part of the Big Green's presence came courtesy of Zach Hafer '99, Curtis Wilgosh '99 and Brian Fleming '98 ¯ a line designed to create havoc down low.

Dartmouth's intensity level was riding high from the start as the Big Green went full force shift after shift. The hard work paid off at 5:06 when Wilgosh jammed home a rebound after a mêlée in front of the net glove side of Princeton's Erasmo Saltarelli for the 1-0 Dartmouth advantage.

"Our goal was just to get the puck deep and then play strong along the boards and in the corners to create opportunities," said Hafer. "On that first goal we did just that."

The anxious and rowdy Dartmouth crowd began pelting Saltarelli with tennis balls, and other handy projectiles, to keep up a tradition started by Princeton fans who began throwing oranges at Dartmouth's goalie in Hobey Baker Rink following the Tiger's first goal. Play was stopped for about ten minutes to clear the debris off the ice.

Princeton got one right back after Dartmouth's aggressive forechecking led to a two-on-one opportunity for the Tigers. Scott Bertoli took a hard slapper from between the circles that Eric Almon '00 appeared to handle, but the puck slipped through and the score was tied at one.

Play was held up at center ice for much of the period, until Dartmouth's Jon Sturgis '98 finished off a flurry in front of the goal at 14:17. David Whitworth '98 set up the easy rebound for Sturgis after he flew through the crease and managed to get a shot off that sent Saltarelli to the ice. Sturgis simply went upstairs for the 2-1 Dartmouth lead.

The hitting stepped up a notch in the second period, as the two teams seemed more intent on rattling the boards than setting up on offense.

The Big Green's first good chance came midway through the period when Whitworth attempted to breakaway from the Princeton defense for the short-handed goal, but was stopped by Saltarelli.

Dartmouth had a big scare with 6:28 to go into the period when Ryan Chaytors '99 took a vicious hit from behind. The team's second-leading scorer was slow to come off the ice, but shook off the blow and played out the rest of the game. The hit cost Princeton a 5:00 major, but the Big Green's streaky special teams couldn't convert.

Finally, at 18:36 the Big Green had another successful rush on the net. A screen shot from the left circle by Scott Peach '99 rebounded out front where Whitworth cleaned up with a neat backhand.

Dartmouth seemed to finally have the game in control, before Princeton got one back with just 15 seconds in the period.

A quick one-timer just 19 seconds into the third period by Princeton's Bertoli tied up the game, and sent nervous rumblings through the Thompson faithful.

Princeton definitely had taken over the momentum, as the Big Green seemed worn down from their early efforts. Dartmouth had a hard time simply clearing the zone, let alone setting up on offense.

However, the Big Green got a rare lucky bounce with 8:20 to go to take a 4-3 lead. Instead of simply dumping the puck on a line change, Wilgosh lined up from just beyond the blueline and fired a shot at Saltarelli. The puck deflected off a defenseman's stick and hopped by the Princeton goalie.

Princeton continued to show poise as they kept working the puck around Dartmouth's zone. At 16:35 it paid off as Casson Masters tied the game on a slapper from the slot stick-side of Almon.

In overtime, the Big Green had their backs against the wall once again, but they managed to hold on for the tie.

Statistics

Scoring by Period
Team
1
2
3
OT
Total
Princeton
1
1
2
0
4
Dartmouth
2
1
1
0
4

Power Play Goals/Power Play Opportunities
Dartmouth: 0 for 5
Princeton: 0 for 4

Total Penalties – number/minutes
Dartmouth: 6/12
Princeton: 6/15

Goals
Period
Team
Goal
Assists
Time
1
D
Wilgosh Hafer, Peach 5:06
1
P
Bertoli Halpern, Acosta 8:51
1
D
Sturgis Whitworth, B. Retter 14:17
2
D
Whitworth B. Retter, Peach 18:36
2
P
Masters Auger, Halpern 18:36
3
P
Bertoli Masters, Halpern 0:19
3
D
Wilgosh Hughes, Wercinski 8:20
3
P
Masters Apps, Bertoli 16:35

Saves by Period
Player-Team
Min.
1
2
3
OT
Total
Saltarelli (Princeton)
60
5
15
7
2
29
Almon (Dartmouth)
60
8
6
15
0
29

Penalties
Period
Team
Player
Penalty
Time
1
D
B. Retter hooking 5:41
1
D
Burkart interference 19:11
2
P
Horst interference 2:07
2
D
Peet hitting from behind 9:31
2
P
Shirreffs cross-checking 12:00
2
P
Acosta hitting from behind (5 min) 13:32
2
P
Acosta game misconduct 13:32
2
D
Whitworth charging 16:14
3
P
Ronaldi tripping 5:37
3
D
Chaytors tripping 8:56
3
P
O'Conner roughing 10:04
OT
D
Burkart misconduct 5:00

Go to Dartmouth Hockey 1996-1997.

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This file last updated on 02/24/97 at 18:42:53.