Optimism runs rampant for any athletic team as a new season commences. It is a time of fresh starts, new goals and endless possibilities of success. For the Dartmouth men's hockey team, this new beginning came in the form of an exhibition game against Western Ontario University Friday night at Thompson Arena.
The Big Green upended the Mustangs of Western Ontario by dominating the opposition in a 3-1 victory. Many, including national pollsters, believe such conquests are a clear sign of what is to come for 2004-2005.
Friday night began as any season-opening exhibition match would. The first period was characterized by unforced errors, miscommunication and jittering -- all signs of rustiness.
"It took some time to adjust and get back into the timing of a game," said captain and forward Lee Stempniak '05.
Throughout the entire game, Dartmouth constantly had the puck in Mustang territory, forcing WOU goalie Mike Boyce to come up with countless acrobatic stops. Boyce had 35 saves on the night.
A Dartmouth passing miscue nine minutes into the period resulted in a quick Mustang goal, scored by right wing Jamie Chamberlain. The Big Green nearly capitalized on a floating puck, but forward Darcy Marr '07's goal was overturned as he was called for high sticking on the shot.
The start of the second period also lacked fluidity. Dartmouth could not convert on some open opportunities during a fifth-minute power play as badly aimed passes and poorly-timed shots seemingly plagued the Big Green's offense. However, Dartmouth quickly settled in and returned to the set, controlled offense they are known for.
With eight minutes left in the period, Jessiman worked the two-man game with Stempniak, assisting a Stempniak top-shelf goal -- the first of Jessiman's three points in the game. Five minutes later, Dartmouth broke the tie and claimed the lead for good on Dave Thompson '06's slapper. He was assisted by Jessiman on a pass to the slot.
The third period brought more of the same, as Dartmouth kept the puck in front of the Mustang blue line throughout. Jessiman displayed his smooth agility, faking a pass to the wing then firing a shot past Boyce for the goal. Jessiman's third point of the game gave Dartmouth the 3-1 advantage with which they would end the game. Scuffling in front of the WOU net continued from the second period, exciting the decently sized-crowd attending the exhibition contest.
Stempniak pointed out that "the main goal of the game was to prepare for this coming weekend against Quinnipiac, and we were able to play a lot of different people in different situations. It also gave us a feel for the way the referees will be calling the game with an emphasis on eliminating obstruction that results in more penalties."
Head coach Bob Gaudet also believed that exhibition games are a useful source of preparation. "We have such a short turnaround in preparing our team to play that it is important to have some outside competition before our opener on Oct. 30," he said.
In the first released national polls, United States College Hockey Online and USA Today/American Hockey Magazine both ranked the Big Green 11th in the country, the highest among ECAC and Ivy League schools. The last time Dartmouth was ranked in a preseason poll was three seasons ago, coming in at 14th.
A few days later, writers for The Hockey News ranked the Big Green an astounding third in the nation. When asked what a strong preseason ranking does for the team, Stempniak explained that it serves as "great recognition for our program, and will be good pressure because we know that we need to play our best game every night because we can expect that from our opponent."
Jessiman added to Stempniak's claim, saying, "I think the strong preseason ranking we have received is a testament to the potential of our team."
Objectives for the season are quite straightforward. "We want to be in position to win the ECAC Championship at the end of the year. This will allow us to take the next step and challenge at the NCAA level," said Gaudet.
Jessiman stressed the importance of team unity for accomplishing their hefty goals. "I really like the personality of our team. We have a great group of guys who love being around each other. I think our winning attitude and approach to every game will be what makes us the team that we want to be this year."
The regular season opens at Thompson Arena next Saturday at 7 p.m. when the Big Green takes on Quinnipiac. The inaugural weekend continues when the Big Green face off against the University of Connecticut the next night. According to Coach Gaudet, "It will be fun to open at home this weekend. The student body and community support have been great and Thompson has become an excellent home ice advantage because of our crowds."
Dartmouth's true test will be whether or not they can learn from their mistakes from the WOU scrimmage. If and when the Big Green finally mold into one, cohesive unit, Dartmouth will have no difficulty living up to and surpassing their national ranking.
