The Big Green went into this weekend hoping to pick up some points, and position themselves for the playoffs. After a two heart-breaking losses to RPI and Union, however, Dartmouth finds itself clinging to the tenth and final playoff spot by only one point over Yale.
On Friday, the Big Green rallied late at Houston Field House, but couldn't hold off the first place Engineers, losing 5-4 in overtime. Dartmouth ran into a brick wall known as Trevor Koenig on Saturday. The nation's number-one goaltender stopped 42 shots on goal, as Union earned a 2-0 victory.
RPI wins in OT
The Big Green knew this one wasn't going to be easy. The Engineers had been playing on par with the best in the ECAC, and Dartmouth knew it would have its hands full.
Dartmouth got off to the right start, as Jon Sturgis '98 lit the lamp just over one minute into the game when the Engineer goalie gave up the puck in front of the net.
Jason Wong '00 came up big for the remainder of the first period, as the freshmen goal tender made 15 saves to maintain Dartmouth's 1-0 advantage.
However, an RPI explosion in the second period brought back painful memories of the first meeting of the season. The Big Green yielded four goals to RPI, just as they did in the first period of November's meeting, while only netting one -- courtesy of Ryan Chaytors '99 from linesmate Jeremiah Buckley '98.
Down 4-2 at the start of the third, the Big Green did not give in. Just like the first meeting of the year, they fought back, but unfortunately their resilience could not ultimately pay off.
Matt Giedt '99 netted his fourth goal in six games at 5:01, off assists from Charlie Retter '98 and Bill Kelleher '96.
The consistent, unchanging red line came up big with under two minutes to play. Chaytors tied the game with 1:57 remaining for his second goal of the night off assists from his wingmen, Buckley and Darren Wercinski '97.
Dartmouth's momentum was crushed 1:37 into the overtime frame when Eric Healey worked the puck into Dartmouth's zone, and buried the puck on Wong's left side.
Union relies on gatekeeper
The Skating Dutchmen were coming off an upset win over UVM, where they rode the coat tails of Trevor Koenig's 34 saves to a 2-0 victory. Koenig was still in the "zone" on Saturday, as his 42 stops shut down the Big Green attack.
Coming into the weekend as the number-one goalie in the nation in save percentage (.930) and goals against average (2.11), the Dutchmen goalie padded his already impressive stats with a 76-save weekend.
Dartmouth stuck to the game plan and pummeled Koenig with pucks, but they just couldn't manage to crack the plane of the goal line.
The Big Green's best chance came in the first period, with a two man advantage, but Dartmouth's streaky special teams play wasn't in sync.
Union got all the offense it needed at 6:05 in the second when Ryan Campbell went top shelf on Eric Almon '00.
They added to their lead in the third when John Sicinski controlled a deflected shot and went upstairs on Almon for the 2-0 Union win.
The Big Green return home this weekend to face Yale and Princeton. The head-to-head matchup for the tenth playoff spot is crucial for Dartmouth, as the Elis stand just one point out of the playoff picture.
