Dartmouth and St. Lawrence Post Wins for ECACHL
ALBANY, N.Y. -- Just two games involving ECAC Hockey League teams took place over the weekend with Dartmouth and St. Lawrence each claiming victory. The Big Green claimed a league win over Harvard, while the Saints downed Vermont.
The other nine teams in the league were idle due to exams and the holiday break.
On Friday night, in front of a national audience on College Sports Television (CSTV), Dartmouth got back at Harvard with a 5-1 win. The two teams had met in November to kick off the league season with the Crimson taking that game 6-2.
Freshman Rob Pritchard led the Big Green with two goals - his first collegiate tallies - as did sophomore David Jones.
Jones scored the first goal of the game on a power play, while Pritchard netted the game winner. Eric Przepiorka scored Dartmouth's fifth goal, which was an empty-netter late in the game. Harvard's lone tally came from Jon Pelle at 5:33 in the third period.
In goal, Dartmouth's Mike Devine tied his career-high with 33 saves, including 14 in the third period, while Harvard's John Daigneau stopped a career-high 38.
In non-league play, Mike Zbriger scored on a redirection of a shot by defenseman Zach Miskovic with five minutes to go in regulation and sophomore goaltender Justin Pesony made a trio of game-saving saves in the third period as St. Lawrence concluded pre-holiday action with a 2-1 upset of third ranked, and former league member Vermont.
It was a scoreless game through 1-3/4 periods of play before the Saints went up 1-0 on a power-play goal by Kevin DeVergilio at 16:32 in the second. Vermont came from a goal down to tie the game just 1:51 into the third period. The Saints had a late power play, and while UVM was able to kill it off, the Saints scored the game winner just 11 seconds after the Catamount penalty expired. The puck was held in at the point by Miskovic who rifled a shot toward net. Zbriger got a piece of the shot and deflected it into the upper corner for his ninth of the year.
Justin Pesony stopped 20 shots in earning the win.
Colgate and Brown are the only league teams in action this week, as they are both playing in the Providence Holiday Tournament. The Bears start play at 4 p.m. on Wednesday (12/21) vs. Sacred Heart. The Raiders have the late game and will play the host Friars at 7:30. Action on day 2 (12/23) begins with the consolation game at 4 followed by the winners facing off for the championship at 7:30.
Through 15 games, the Raiders are off to their best start since the team posted a 14-1-0 record to kick off the 1962-63 campaign. Brown hopes to play Providence at some point in the tourney and avenge its earlier-season loss to the Friars in the Mayor's Cup.
