Dartmouth Upsets No. 5 UNH in Battle of the RiverStone

Box Score

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- In its third victory over a Hockey East opponent this season, the Dartmouth men's hockey team took a 5-3 victory over the No. 5 New Hampshire Wildcats on Saturday in the Verizon Wireless Arena. Big Green netminder Mike Devine (Orchard Park, N.Y.) recorded a career-high 54 saves in the win. For his play Devine was named the RiverStone Player of the Game.

"I thought we battled hard," Gaudet said. "Mike Devine was outstanding and he kept us in the game."

A spirited first period had Dartmouth trying to weather a UNH storm as the Willdcats outshot the Big Green 14-7. It was UNH that jumped on the board first at 13:46. On its second power play of the game Mike Radja tried to get his team on the board but Devine stuffed the first attempt. Craig Switzer was able to bang it home however, a few seconds later as UNH went ahead, 1-0.

J.T. Wyman (Wayzata, Minn.) tied the game at 14:56 on an unbelievable effort. Nick Johnson (Calgary, Alta.) brought the puck down as Wyman skated beside him. Johnson passed to Wyman directly in front of the net as the senior faked UNH netminder Kevin Regan out, banging in his team-leading 12^th goal of the season. Jon Grecu (Calgary, Alta.) also assisted.

Dartmouth went ahead off a Rob Smith (Brooks, Alta.), Joe Gaudet (Etna, N.H.) tag-team. Smith brought the puck around behind the net passing out to Gaudet out front. The sophomore fired a one-timer over Regan's shoulder for the go-ahead.

Wyman gave his team a two-goal lead at 11:53 on a power play strike. With action in front of the net Johnson took a shot that pulled Regan out of the net. With the goalie slow to get up, Wyman was able to slip the puck over the line for his second of the night.

The Wildcats got one back at 7:48 when Jerry Pollastrone swung the puck out to a waiting James vanRiemsdyk at the point who slammed it over going five-hole on Devine. The end of the period had UNH outshooting the Big Green, 42-15.

John Gibson (Okotoks, Alta.) put his team up by two at 11:20 in the final period of play. Kyle Reeds (St. Louis, Mo.) won the faceoff in the UNH end, passing quickly over to Gibson who one-time the puck in for just his second goal of the season.

Josh Gillam (Peterborough, Ont.) gave his team some insurance with under 5:00 to go when he caught Regan unaware, slipping the puck in the right side. Scott Fleming (Plainfield, Ont.) and freshman Adam Estoclet (Oron, Minn.) assisted for the 5-2 score.

The Wildcats scored with under a minute to play off a goal by Kevin Kapstad but it wasn't enough as the Big Green won its first game against UNH since a wild, 9-8 game in 2006.

Regan finished with 21 saves as UNH outshot Dartmouth, 57-26. It's the first time since Feb. 18, 2007 that an opponent has had more than 50 shots against the Big Green and it's the third time this season.

This is the seventh Battle for the RiverStone and it's the Big Green's second win in the recent series. Win the victory Dartmouth improves to 8-8-1 while UNH falls to 13-7-1.

Dartmouth will be back in action this weekend, taking on Harvard in Thompson Arena on Saturday. Game time is set for 7:00. On Sunday the Big Green hosts American International, also at 7:00.