The spotlights will be on the Dartmouth men's hockey team Saturday night at Thompson Arena--literally.
With the University of Moncton in town for an exhibition game, the Big Green will show off its regular lineup and its newest pregame feature--spotlights that will follow the team out of the tunnel as it takes the ice for warmups and player introductions. The house lights will be dimmed and the team will come into view as the Chicago Bulls' theme song blares over the sound system.
The feature is set to premiere, as long as tests on Friday go well.
Aside from the new pregame spectacle, Dartmouth men's hockey fans will get their first chance to see the team's top line skate together. Mike Maturo '02, Kent Gillings '03 and Mike Murray '03 combined for 36 goals and 83 points as they worked together all last season and led the Big Green to the ECAC semifinals.
Maturo was one of six seniors left out of the lineup last week in an easy 5-1 win over McGill, but the Big Green men will treat the Moncton game more like a regular season contest as they prepare for the opener at Harvard on Nov. 4.
"I think getting our lineup together is important. We want to start gelling as a team," goaltender Nick Boucher '03 said. "This is the lineup that we're using for the Harvard game. Obviously, there are a few fresh faces, so we want to get them into the system."
Even without Maturo and five of his classmates, the team looked strong when it dismantled McGill last weekend. Halsey Coughlin '03 led the effort, scoring two goals, while Gillings, Trevor Byrne '03 and Mike Wheelihan '05"who is battling hard for a regular spot in the lineup"also lit the lamp.
The three goalies handled a period each, but incumbent starter Boucher is expected to play two periods against Moncton. Boucher is trying to build some momentum as he must start the season strong; Dartmouth's first five games are all in-league.
