Officials: Gallagher (R), Dunn, Cote
HANOVER, N.H. -- The Dartmouth College men's hockey team kicked off the 1998-99 season on the right foot Sunday afternoon with an 8-5 victory aganist Niagara University at Thompson Arena. The eight goals were the most scored by the Big Green in a season opener since 1982-83 when Dartmouth ripped Union, 9-2.
The Purple Eagles fell to 3-4 with the loss.
The Dartmouth coaching staff had eight freshmen in uniform, and the rookies responded, collecting eight points.
Dan Casella opened the game's scoring at the 7:54 mark of the first period, knocking home his first collegiate goal on a rebound from Mike Maturo. Niagara responded with three unanswered goals, including two from Mike Isherwood, to take a 3-1 lead into the second period.
Ryan Chaytors brought the Green back to within one in a hurry after the break, scoring on a power play just 39 seconds into the second. Frank Nardella then evened the scored at 3-3 with Dartmouth's second goal on the man advantage.
Nate Handrahan knotted the game at 4-4 on the power play, beating Dartmouth goalie Eric Almon with a shot from the blueline. The Big Green then made a goaltending change bringing in Robert Delwo.
Colin Rows greeted the freshman netminder, giving Niagara the lead, 5-4, with less than two minutes remaining in the second period. In the game, the Purple Eagles converted on four of six power plays.
Dartmouth answered the call in a hurry as Michael Byrne potted his first of the season just 20 seconds after the Rows goal.
In the third period it was all Dartmouth, as Curtis Wilgosh scored his second goal of the night 25 seconds into the period and then freshmen Jamie Herrington and Chris Taliercio added insurance goals to close out the scoring.
Freshman goaltender Robert Delwo stopped 10 of 11 shots in relief to earn the victory for Dartmouth. Greg Gardner made 33 stops in goal for Niagara.
Story in the Dartmouth by Ben Riefe
Game-By Game Stats
Points Board
Season Stats
Shots Board
Ivy Stats
| Scoring by Period | ||||
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| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Total |
| Niagara |
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| Dartmouth |
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Niagara: 4 for 6
Dartmouth: 2 for 5
| Goals | ||||
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| Period | Team | Goal | Assists | Time |
| 1 | D | Casella (1) | Maturo, Tisdale | 7:54 |
| 1 | N | Sivonen | MacKenzie, Makela | 11:23 (PPG) |
| 1 | N | Isherwood | Handrahan, Rows | 12:30 (PPG) |
| 1 | N | Isherwood | Rows, Kasperek | 17:39 |
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Chaytors (1) | Burkart, Wilgosh | 0:39 (PPG) |
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Nardella (1) | Baldwin, Peach | 4:13 (PPG) |
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Wilgosh (1)
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Hafer
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9:52
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Handrahan | Kasperek | 11:22 (PPG) |
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Rows | Handrahan, Perry | 18:26 (PPG) |
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Byrne (1) | Wilgosh, Hafer | 18:46 |
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Wilgosh (2) | Burkart, Risk | 0:25 (GWG) |
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Herrington (1) | Baldwin, Nardella | 6:55 |
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Taliercio (1) | Peach, Chaytors | 7:13 |
| Saves by Period | |||||
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| Player-Team | Min. | 1 | 2 | 3 | Total |
| Gardner (N) |
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| Almon (D) | 31:22 |
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| Delwo (D) |
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| Penalties | ||||
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| Period | Team | Player | Penalty | Time |
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Peach | interference | 10:32 |
| 1 | D | Taliercio | slashing | 10:32 |
| 1 | D | Burkart | interference | 18:13 |
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Suuriniemi | slashing | 19:22 |
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Rows | roughing | 1:11 |
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MacKenzie | holding | 2:39 |
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Ness | interference | 11:04 |
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Sivonen | charging | 15:07 |
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Baldwin | roughing | 17:12 |
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Sivonen | roughing | 19:09 |
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Peach | roughing | 19:09 |
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Sivonen | roughing | 19:09 |
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Peach | roughing | 19:09 |
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Rows | hitting after whistle | 4:04 |
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Hafer | hitting after whistle | 4:04 |
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Burkart | roughing | 8:34 |
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Suurinemi | roughing | 8:34 |
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Maturo | slashing | 10:16 |
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Makela | slashing | 10:16 |
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MacKenzie | roughing | 12:52 |
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Wilgosh | slashing | 15:48 |
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Burkart | roughing | 18:52 |
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Marshall | roughing | 18:52 |
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