Box Score

ITHACA, NY --­ The Dartmouth men's hockey team took advantage of its opportunities as the Big Green capitalized on an early lead and never looked back enroute to a 5-3 victory over Cornell on Saturday in Lynah Rink. With the win Dartmouth forces a game three in the best-of-three first round playoff series.

Two early penalties in the first period resulted in shots on net for both sides. Dartmouth had a great opportunity while shorthanded as Scott Fleming (Plainfield, Ont.) and Rob Pritchard (Burnaby, B.C.) had a 2-on-1 chance that went just wide.

With the Big Red again having the extra-man four minutes later, Nick Johnson (Calgary, Alta.) had a chance to light the lamp but his shot was saved by Cornell goalie Ben Scrivens.

The Big Green finally jumped on the board at 2:24 when a high shot by Peter Boldt (Greenwich, Conn.) from the blueline was tipped in by Adam Estoclet (Orono, Minn.). Jon Wolter (Branford, Conn.) also picked up an assist. The goal was Estoclet's first since early February. Despite increased pressure by the home team on the power play Dartmouth was able to maintain the lead going into the first break.

The Big Green came out very strong in the second period. Just seconds into the stanza with the Big Red on the power play Nick Johnson (Calgary, Alta.) had a quick shot that Scrivens didn't see until the last minute. On the same power play a centering pass from Johnson to J.T. Wyman (Wayzata, Minn.) almost gave the Big Green another goal as Johnson didn't even let the home team bring the puck down before getting another shot on Scrivens.

A Josh Gillam (Peterborough, Ont.), Joe Gaudet (Etna, N.H.) hookup gave Dartmouth a 2-0 lead at 3:15 in the second period. Gillam got the puck at center ice on a steal skating in on Scrivens with Gaudet coming down the other side. The save by the Cornell netminder came right to Gaudet as the sophomore put it back in.

Riley Nash broke up the Big Green shutout :15 seconds later off a hard shot that sailed over Mike Devine's (Orchard Park, N.Y.) shoulder, making the score 2-1.

Two minutes later Brandon Harrington (Rochester, Minn.) scored on a breakaway for his first goal of the season, giving his team the two-goal lead back going into the locker room. Harrington was playing in place of injured Rob Smith (Brooks, Alta.), the junior's first game since February 16.

Neither team had a chance to get into any kind of a rhythm in the final period before the first penalty of the frame was called as the Big Green earned an extra-man opportunity. But a penalty on Wolter a few seconds into the penalty negated the chance as the two skated 4-on-4.

A second Cornell goal as Wolter was coming back on the ice gave the home team its first score of the stanza. Michael Kennedy fired from the left side circle. Devine thought he'd made the save as he got the glove up but it sailed into the back of the net.

A swarming Big Red offense gave Dartmouth and Devine all they could handle for most of the final period. But with Cornell on the power play Devine saved the puck out to Fleming as the freshman had a breakaway firing on Scrivens, Pritchard ws there to gather the rebound and get the score to put his team up, 4-2. Peter Boldt (Greenwich, Conn.) also had a helper.

The Big Red made things interesting in the final two minutes getting its first power play goal of the game. Raymond Sawada was credited with the score. With Scrivens out of the net Pritchard potted an empty net strike to give his team the 5-3 lead. Johnson and Evan Stephens (Bessemer, Mich.) were credited with assists. 

Some extracurricular activities with :13 seconds left gave the Big Green a power play opportunity with two Cornell players sent to the box to end the game.

Devine finished with 40 saves while Scrivens had 25.

The win gives Dartmouth a 12-15-4 record while Cornell falls to 15-13-3. The two teams will meet for a decisive game three tomorrow night at 7:00 pm in Lynah Rink.