The Dartmouth Club Hockey team defeated cross-state rivals University of Vermont and Castleton State this weekend at Thompson Arena. Saturday, the Big Green hosted UVM for a night game and started the game off well, storming to a 2-1 lead first period off breakaway goals.
Jon Webster '04 added a goal early in the second off a long floating shot to add to the lead, but UVM roared back, scoring four goals. Only a power play goal by Parker Lewis '05 and a second shorthanded goal could keep the Big Green tied going into the third period.
The third period proved to be a battle as both teams fought for the winning goal. But halfway through the period, Dartmouth's Bill Burgess '01 managed to score the go-ahead goal on the power play to put the Big Green up, 6-5. Despite a late game rally and a flurry of shots, goaltender Chris Rubinate '03 managed to shut UVM down and win the game.
Sunday, the Clubbers hosted Castleton State College and managed to pull off a hard-fought 9-5 victory. The game again started well as the Big Green scored twice early in the first. Castleton fought back though, slipping two goals past rookie goaltender Charles "Chipper" Rountree '05.
Fortunately, a pair of goals gave the Clubbers a 4-2 lead going into the second period. In the second period, the Clubbers exploded for five goals, coming out of the period with a 9-3 lead. Scoring for the Big Green were myself, Balsamo, Webster and Matt Neill '03, whose shot actually hit the goalie's pads, flipped into the air and trickled into the net.
In the third, the Castleton Spartans managed to slip two shots past the "Chipper," but the Big Green still managed to hold on to the lead and maintain their weekend sweep.
The Big Green returns to action next Sunday as they visit the Holy Cross Crusaders at 2 p.m. The next home games are Saturday, Feb. 23 against the Lowell Junior A Lockmonsters and Feb. 24 against the Skidmore Thoroughbreds.
Peter Hanbury plays for the Dartmouth Club Hockey team.
