"We always do this thing before home games where we say our goal for the game, and everyone said they wanted to do it for the seniors," she said. "Everybody wanted to get the win for [them]."
The squad was able to make good on their promises in potentially the last two home games of the season for Dartmouth, as the playoff-bound Big Green (11-10-4, 8-7-3 ECAC) utilized power-play chances to skate to close wins by sweeping conference opponents Colgate (10-13-7, 7-8-3 ECAC) and Cornell (9-17-0, 5-15-0 ECAC) each 2-1 at Thompson Arena. The Class of 2006 will leave behind a 70 percent winning record over four years, with a 77 percent victory mark at home, an ECAC Championship in 2003, an Ivy
League title
in 2004, and three NCAA Frozen Four appearances.
"They leave, as some of the other classes before them, an incredible winning tradition," coach Mark Hudak said.
Maggie Kennedy '09 was not only motivated to play for the seniors on the ice, the eight freshman wanted to give injured captain Tiffany Hagge '06 and Emily Nerland '06 something to remember as well.
"I just wanted to play hard and give the seniors a memorable last game at home, especially for Tiffany and Emily who couldn't play," said Kennedy. "I know how badly they wish they could have been out there and I wanted to do my best for them and the other seniors."
Dartmouth came out firing against Colgate on Saturday evening, outshooting the Red Raiders 12-4 in the first period. Ethier was able to knock in one of her shots from the left side on the last of three power-plays in the frame with 4:04 left in the period. She was assisted on the play by Danielle Grundy '06 and Sarah Newnam '09.
However, Meredith Barcheller '07 drew a penalty 37 seconds into the second stanza to give Colgate a great opportunity to even the score. The penalty kill unit of the Big Green played tough and was able to get off two shots with only four skaters. Offensive fortunes turned in favor of Colgate midway through the period when two Red Raider offensive players hit the crossbar on solid scoring chances in the Dartmouth zone. On their third power play of the period, Colgate's Ashley Johnston collected a rebound in the slot and sneaked a puck through the legs of goalie Carli Clemis '09 with 6:53 remaining to knot the score at 1-1.
Newnam opened the third period with a one-timer on an early power play from the top of the left circle that rattled of the near post. The momentum swung back and forth in the first half of the final frame, but the last break went to Dartmouth when Marley McMillan's '09 backhand chance hit Colgate's Tara French and redirected into the net to give the Big Green a 2-1 lead with 6:49 remaining. Colgate had one last chance to score when Nicole Ruta '08 drew a tripping penalty with 1:05 left in regulation, but they could not muster any shots, giving Dartmouth the victory.
After the game, Hudak said he was impressed with the tenacity his players showed to earn the victory over the Red Raiders.
"I was a little bit concerned with [the second period] because we've had those lulls during the year where sometimes we've bounced back and sometimes we haven't, but I was pretty proud of the kids in the third period with the way they bounced back," said the coach. "We could easily have said, 'Here goes another one of these games,' where we're doing all these little things right but we're not scoring. But they stayed with it."
On Sunday, the Big Green again applied constant pressure in the offensive zone as they outshot Cornell 16-6 in the first period. Alex Zagaria '06 redirected a feed at the top of the crease only 24 seconds into the second power play of the period for a 1-0 Dartmouth lead with 5:25 remaining.
Five minutes into the second period, McMillan had a breakaway up the middle and beat Cornell netminder Beth Baronick, but her shot rang off the post. Cornell also had several chances to even the score, but senior Kate Lane '06 made several acrobatic saves to deny the Big Red attack. She finished the game with 21 stops.
"Just like any game, I was pumped and excited to pay," said Lane of playing on an emotional Senior Day. "I tried not to think about it too much. I tried to stay focused and be happy and celebrate after. I made sure I was doing my job in there. The girls were certainty doing theirs."
After a body-checking penalty against Ethier gave the Big Red a power play 3:33 into the period Cornell's Emma Chipman collected a rebound from a shot by Vick Hodgkinson and stuffed it past Lane to tie the score 1-1. However, it only took a few minutes for the Big Green to return the favor. Looking to capitalize after a tripping penalty by Cornell defender Miranda Callahan, Kennedy found the puck in traffic in front of the Cornell goal and lifted a backhand shot for the second Dartmouth power play score of the game and the 2-1 lead. Her fourth game-winning goal of the season capped off 46-shot outburst by the Big Green compared to Cornell's 21 attempts.
Ethier attributed the team's offensive surge to simplicity, focus, and a little bit of change in playing style.
"I think we were waiting too much to make the perfect play, and this weekend we said to ourselves put the puck to the net and went hard after it," she said. "We were more disciplined on our forecheck. We're playing a 1-2-2, and they kept giving it back to us. Being gritty and going hard to the net was the big difference."
Asked about the success by the power play unit, Ethier said, "We just changed both of our power plays, and I think we practiced them and worked really hard to make them happened. They weren't expecting us to come out with those power plays, and we capitalized on the chances we had. It was pretty fun to be on the ice and do it and watch it."
With ECAC playoff seedings still to be determined and Dartmouth currently holding the final seed for the playoffs, the team is going into next weekend's games with the same mentality they had against Colgate and Cornell.
"We're more focused right now on trying to continue to improve," Hudak said. "We've changed a couple things at the end of the season. We know we're going to get into the playoffs, and I don't think we want to be in a position right now where we say, 'We want to win this game or that game,' so we can get this seeding. If we can come out with a win next weekend, that's great. If we can come out with two, even better. I think the real important thing is that we end on a high note going into the playoffs."
"We're not thinking so much about the playoffs, but we're getting ready for them," Ethier said. "We're trying to play in the moment."
The Big Green wraps up the regular season with away games at Clarkson on Saturday at 7 p.m. and at St. Lawrence on Sunday at 4 p.m.
