Dartmouth 3 - RPI 8

Saturday, February 20, 1999
By David Sherzer
Special to the Valley News

Troy, N.Y. -- At last weekend's Dartmouth Winter Carnival, the home team steam-rolled over Colgate and Cornell en route to a convincing weekend sweep. At Saturday evening's Big Red Freakout, the home team, Rensselaer, gave the Big Green a taste of their own medicine.

A night after escaping near-by Schenectady, NY, with a 5-2 come-from-behind triumph over Union, the Big Green (10-14-1, 6-11-1 ECAC) battled RPI before a rowdy, packed house of 5,200. Despite sporting a three-game winning streak that renewed their post-season aspirations, the Big Green could not handle the third-place Engineers (18-9-1, 11-6-1), falling, 8-3.

Although Dartmouth found its offensive way at certain points in the contest, it was a first period power-play goal from RPI sophomore forward Brad Tapper that spelled the eventual game-winner.

"It's disappointing because we're much better than this," coach Bob Gaudet commented following the loss. "I don't want to take anything away from them, because they over-powered us - but we didn't play the game we wanted to. It was disappointing."

The Engineers pressured the Big Green early and often, but Dartmouth got on the board first.

Merely thirty seconds after Big Green goalie Eric Almon made a spectacular off-balance save on a break-away shot, freshman Gary Hunter skated down the right side with a pass from veteran Curtis Wilgosh and moved in on the net. Foiling the defense's attempts to knock him down, the young forward pressed into the crease and guided the puck past net-minder Joel Laing.

RPI responded to Hunter's first-career goal quickly and with vengeance.

Thirty seconds after the Big Green lamp-lighter, forward Keith Dupee flushed down a rebound to tie the game at one. Minutes later, RPI engineered its first lead with a Brad Tapper netter and then continued to pour it on, touching the twine twice more in the opening period, including Tapper's power-play game-winner.

Big Green assistant-captain Curtis Wilgosh deflected the puck off an RPI player seconds before the first intermission to cut Dartmouth's deficit to two.

"It wasn't from a lack of effort, but the two power-plays hurt us," Gaudet said. "RPI played very hard. They are as skilled a hockey team as there is in the east."

The Big Green and Engineers traded goals in the early stages of the second frame, as Almon, moments before being knocked down and nearly out of the game, allowed Tapper to find the back of the net for his second goal of the contest. Less than three minutes later, Dartmouth defenseman Scott Peach sent a bomb from the blueline that skipped under Laing's stick and between the pipes, bringing the score to 5-3.

The final ten minutes of the second period belonged to RPI, as the Engineers constructed an imposing 8-3 advantage that matched their season-high in goals. Tapper, who beat Almon with a wrister, recorded his second hat trick of the season.

To compound the Big Green woes, Peach, who contributed a goal and two assists in Dartmouth's offensive effort, suffered a groin injury and left the contest with four minutes remaining in the second period.

"Peach is hurt pretty badly," Gaudet commented. "It's hard to know the extent of the injury right now, but we'll just have to see."

For the final twenty minutes, Gaudet inserted back-up goalie Rob Delwo, who had not seen ice time since the New Year's initial weekend. The rookie net-minder, who carried a 5.00 goals-against average into Saturday night, managed to halt RPI's scoring barrage.

The Engineers, who now boast a 9-0-1 mark against Ivy League opponents, concluded their Big Red Freakout celebration with an 8-3 victory over Dartmouth.

"The positive side is that we got two points out of a road weekend, which is tough in this league," Gaudet said. "We've been playing good hockey, but we faced a superior team tonight. The kids will work hard. We'll find a way to regroup from this."

With four contests remaining, Dartmouth now holds the league's final playoff spot. Next weekend, the Big Green will skate against Yale and Princeton in their last home games of the regular season.