As the late coach and executive Bob Johnson used to say, it's a great day for hockey. Well it was a great season for hockey this year at Dartmouth. Between the men's and women's teams, the fans of the Big Green were treated to a dream season.
The Big Green women were ranked tops in the nation for most of the season, won the ECAC regular season and tournament title, and made an appearance in the inaugural women's Frozen Four. The men ended with a winning record (16-14-4) for the first time since the 1979-80 season and won its first playoff series since that same season.
For the women's program, which has a deep tradition of success, this was expected. For the men this represents a huge step in the right direction.
While the 1999-00 season provided some glimpses at the potential, this season is one that will go down in the record books as the turnaround. The program, which struggled throughout much of the 1980's and 1990's has been looking for this season for years.
While the immediate effects of its success may be fleeting, the long-term implications are vital. To build a winning hockey program, you need to start from somewhere. A winning team is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
To lay the foundation for a successful program, you need good players. But to recruit blue-chip prospects, you need a winning team. Once you have yourself a winning team, things come easier. Top recruits will want to play for your program if it is winning, drawing crowds and creating a conducive atmosphere.
In his fourth year at the helm for the Big Green, Bob Gaudet '81 has done just that.
Relying on the strength of the sophomore and junior class, Gaudet has brought the program to a level of respect that only comes from hard work and a good deal of foresight.
Dartmouth does not have many stars. In fact Trevor Byrne '03 was the only member of the Big Green to be named to the ECAC All-Conference team. The rugged defenseman was named to the second team.
Yet, Gaudet has molded a team that fits together. The Big Green can roll out four solid forward lines and three reliable sets of defensemen without skipping a beat. Combine that with a big-game goalie in Nick Boucher '03 and you have a good team.
While you may not see any Dartmouth players among the top scorers in the ECAC, this has not stopped the Big Green from reaching their goals.
The Big Green brought a balanced attack. The top line of Mike Maturo '02, Kent Gillings '03 and Mike Murray '03 could match up with almost any line in the conference, and provided the bulk of the teams production (133 points between the three).
However, the second and third lines made the difference this year. Players like Chris Baldwin '02 (14 goals, 10 assists), Jamie Herrington '02 (6 goals, 16 assists) and Frank Nardella '02 (4 goals, 18 assists) gave the Big Green more offensive depth than they are used to.
The defensive corps was another strength. Led by the excellent sophomore trio of Byrne, Pete Summerfelt '03 and P.J. Martin '03, the Big Green blueliners made a lot of games winnable.
Looking forward to next season, there can be nothing but smiles for the Big Green. The team will lose only three to graduation. While seniors Mike Byrne, Peter Mahler and Dory Tisdale brought much to the table to the table in terms of leadership, hustle and dedication, losing them is not likely to change the face of Dartmouth hockey. With another good recruiting class coming in to fill those spots, Gaudet can breathe easy.
With a year of collegiate experience under their collective belts, we can expect bigger and better things from the talented '04 class. Jason Costa, Mike Turner and Brian Van Abel all were mainstays in the lineup, and performed admirably in their rookie season.
Things are definitely looking up for Dartmouth hockey. Next season looks to hold more success for the program. While the team met most of its preseason goals this year, we can expect loftier expectations for the coming season. Gaudet and his troops will not be satisfied to just go to Lake Placid and the ECAC Championships, they will want to win the thing next year. The NCAA tournament is not too far out of sight.
With the memories of this season fresh in their minds, the team will embark on another journey. As the saying goes, championships are made in the offseason. The Big Green know this well and are prepared to meet that challenge.
