Yale 2 - Dartmouth 0

Coming off an energized, hard-hitting show Friday evening, the action at Thompson Arena looked somewhat slower Saturday night as the Dartmouth men's hockey team fell to an experienced Yale squad, 2-0, before 2,326 fans at Thompson Arena.

The Big Green (1-2-1, 1-2-1 ECAC) held the Bulldogs (3-2-1, 2-1-1) to just 21 shots but could not light the lamp, managing few quality scoring chances against veteran netminder Trevor Hanger while taking 32 shots.

The loss snaps Dartmouth's modest two-game unbeaten streak, while Yale moves above the .500 mark for the first time all season.

"It's unfortunate," said Dartmouth head coach Bob Gaudet, now in his third season. "I didn't think Yale generated much of anything. It wasn't like we were zipping it around, but all they did was pack it in around the goalie. It's not a great way to play hockey, but I guess it's effective.

"Overall, I thought our kids worked really hard and just had nothing to show for it."

The Big Green received a scare early in the third period when Mike Maturo was temporarily knocked out of the game with a possible hand injury. Maturo, last year's and this year's leading scorer, returned to action later in the period and will be evaluated today.

"He got slashed pretty good," Gaudet said of Maturo. "It swelled up right away and we'll have it x-rayed, but he's a tough kid. Right now, I think he'll be ready to play next week."

For Dartmouth, senior Eric Almon started in net after a two-game hiatus. While the 19 saves and two goals-allowed represented an improvement over his one previous performance - he surrendered five goals in 40 minutes in the season opener at Harvard -- Almon was charged with his second loss in as many appearances.

"I thought he played well tonight," Gaudet said. "I think we'll rotate the goalies a little bit. If we get a hot guy, then we'll see, but I thought Eric played well tonight."

The Bulldogs scored a pair of power play goals en route to the victory, converting once in each of the first two periods.

The first came late in the first when Jeff Brow connected for his second netter of the season. Skating in front of the net, he accepted a pass from teammate Ben Stafford and waited long enough for Almon to lean out of position. Brow punched through the lamp-lighter, handing Yale the early one-goal advantage.

Late in the second, it was Nick Deschenes' turn to get in on the act. Deschenes, a freshman forward, secured a bouncing puck in front of the net and slid it past Almon.

That was all the Bulldogs would need. Dartmouth finished with five unsuccessful power play attempts, unable to solve Hanger while suffering its first shutout in nearly two years.

"I didn't think Yale generated very much at all," Gaudet said. "But they're an experienced team and they were able to do what they needed to do to get the win. We just weren't able to put the puck in the net."

Dartmouth will continue its five-game homestand next Saturday night when nearby rival Vermont comes to town. Opening faceoff is 7 p.m.

Big Green notes: Judging by his return late in the third period, Maturo's injury does not appear serious enough to sideline him for next week's game . . . . Dartmouth was last shutout on December 14, 1997, at Umass-Amherst. That game ended in a 0-0 tie . . . . Gaudet falls to 10-9-4 all-time against the Bulldogs . . . . The Big Green will next face Yale on February 18. That game will be played in New Haven.