Dartmouth Battles Colgate to Draw

Box Score

HANOVER, NH - Dartmouth men's hockey junior Connor Shields (Edmonton, Alta.) tipped Peter Bolt's (Greenwich, Conn.) laser from the circle to tie the game at 3-3 late in the game as the Big Green earned a tie with Colgate on Friday in Thompson Arena. With the tie Dartmouth is now 3-2-1 overall, 2-2-1 in ECAC Hockey action. Colgate is still looking for its first league win as the Raiders move to 3-6-3, 0-3-3.

"I would have liked two points obviously," said head coach Bob Gaudet. "But we earned this point. Colgate is an experienced team and we had nine freshman going against them so I'll take the point."

The first period had both teams with great chances early. The Raiders had the first real shot at 18:14 when David McIntyre pulled Dartmouth netminder Mike Devine (Orchard Park, N.Y.) out, leaving the net open for a shot by Jason Williams. Devine was able to hustle back, taking the shot into the stomach to keep the game scoreless.

Colgate got on the board at 11:23 when Jesse Winchester took from the point with Devine there for the save. Unfortuantely the rebound sailed all the way out to a waiting Tyler Burton just past the blueline as the Raider captain drilled the puck into the back of the net.

The Big Green tied the game with a little over a minute remaining in the period as Rob Pritchard (Burnaby, B.C.) recorded his first goal off the season off a rebound from Nick Johnson (Calgary, Alta.).

The Raiders came back in the second period, outshooting Dartmouth, to take a one-goal lead at 13:49. Goalie Mark Dekanich passed up ice to Peter Bogdanich who drew Devine out to the right side of the net. With the left side open, Winchester was there to stuff the puck in.

J.T. Wyman (Wayzata, Minn.) attempted to tie the game several times as the senior was afforded two solid breakaways to end the second period. Wyman finally cashed in after leading the third off with a shot, taking another breakaway at center ice. The Dartmouth assistant captain went one-on-one with Dekanich shooting over the netminder's shoulder for the tying goal. With his sixth goal of the season Wyman is now fifth nationally in points per game.

David Sloan pulled Colgate ahead for the third time at 12:38 in the third period but Shields and the Big Green tied it again as Dartmouth played its first overtime game of the season. Despite outshooting the Raiders 5-to-3 in the extra stanza, Dartmouth was unable to record the game winner. With 45 shots on net the Big Green had its first game with more than 40+ shots since Jan. 19, 2007

Devine finished with 25 saves as Dekanich recorded 42. With only two penalties called in the game, Dartmouth went 0-for-2 on the extra man while Colgate did not have a power play chance.

"I can't remember the last time I coached a team that didn't have a power play," Gaudet said.

The Big Green will be back in action tomorrow night in a 7:00 pm matchup with Cornell. At the game fans are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy for Dartmouth's toy drive for CHaD. The Big Green will hold another toy drive on Nov. 24 against Bentley.