The Big Green's last-ditch hopes of making the ECAC playoffs ended Friday night with a 6-3 loss at Harvard. Coupled with Yale's 4-3 victory over RPI, the Elis ensured themselves of the 10th and final playoff slot going into Saturday's contests.
The Crimson used a fast start to build an insurmountable lead as breakdowns in the Big Green's team defense once again proved costly.
On Saturday in Providence with their fates already determined, the Bears and the Big Green took out their mutual frustrations on one another, racking up a combined 100 penalty minutes en route to an 8-6 Bear victory.
The teams combined for seven goals in the first period alone in this shootout.
With the weekend losses, the Big Green closed out their season at a disappointing 10-17-2, 5-15-2 ECAC.
After eclipsing their win total from last season in early January, the Big Green faltered down the stretch, losing five of their last six, and never seemed able to equal their early-season form.
Harvard skates to a 3-0 lead
The Crimson built a 2-0 lead after the first period courtesy of Craig McDonald, and kept up the pace with two goals in each of the remaining periods to hold off a hard charging Big Green attack with its season on the line.
After Harvard's Henry Higdon made it 3-0 early in the third, Dartmouth's Jon Sturgis '98 finally put the Big Green on the board at 3:28 off the assists from blueliner's Alex Dumas '97 and Owen Hughes '97.
However, the Big Green could get only two more past Harvard's freshmen phenom J.R. Prestfillipo, whose stellar season put him in contention for ECAC Rookie of the Year. The Crimson goalie finished the game with 31 saves.
Entering the third period down 4-1, Dartmouth's leading scorer David Whitworth '98 added a goal and an assist, but the Big Green couldn't find the necessary offensive production to erase the three goal deficit.
McDonald netted his third goal late for the hat trick, and when the Big Green got the announcement that Yale had knocked off St. Lawrence, they knew their rocky season was effectively over.
Brown tallies eight netters
An emotionally spent Dartmouth squad that had been playing their last three games with the pressure to make the playoffs let off a lot of steam at Providence.
With both teams knocked out of the playoff picture, an offensive explosion ensued, led by Sturgis who solidified his team lead in goals with a hat trick.
Tempers flared, and bodies went flying right off the first face-off.
The Bears' 67 penalty minutes accounted for two-thirds of the teams combined 100 minutes spent in the box.
Needless to say, each team got plenty of practice on special teams.
After falling behind 2-0, Dartmouth scored the next three goals of the first period.
Working on the 5-3 power play, Sturgis found the back of the net at 5:55 with assists from Ryan Chaytors '99 and Bill Kelleher '96.
The Bears made themselves comfortable in the box once again, and Dumas capitalized with the Big Green's second power play goal at 6:32.
Sturgis struck again at 15:38, and it seemed Dartmouth had the upper hand.
The Bears got a quick two back in the waning minutes of the period to take a 4-3 lead into the second.
Working on the power play once again, Sturgis netted his 21st goal of the season just :34 seconds in. Jeremiah Buckley '98 added a power-play snipe of his own at 6:01 to give the Big Green a 5-4 advantage.
Once again, however, the Bears clawed back and scored two unanswered goals to take a 6-5 lead into the final period of the season for both squads.
The eventual game winning goal for the Bears came at 13:40 from Marty Clapton.
While the game had been physical, the real fireworks came with about five minutes remaining in the contest.
Stepping in for the face-off, Darren Wercinski '97 decided to end his college career with a bang.
The witty senior went well beyond his regular verbal jabbing, and slashed the unsuspecting Brown center to the ice.
Wercinski proceeded to drop the gloves, tear off the player's helmet, and get in a few quick shots before anyone could break it up.
Seven other seniors ended their Dartmouth careers Saturday, though in much less eventful ways.
The Big Green will greatly miss career 100 point man Bill Kelleher, team captain and vocal leader Brent Retter, experienced mentors in goalies Scott Baker and Ben Heller, and the playmaking abilities of blueliners Owen Hughes and Alex Dumas.
