WEB UPDATE, March 10, 11:50 p.m.
The Dartmouth women's hockey team can boast many achievements this season, but the possibility of a national championship is no longer in the conversation. The postseason for Dartmouth ended earlier than expected Saturday afternoon when the Boston College Eagles upset the Big Green 3-2 in double overtime in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA tournament.
With Mercyhurst College, the second seed in the tournament and a team that beat the Big Green twice this season, losing on Friday, Dartmouth was favored to reach the finals of the Frozen Four, but a 45-save night by the Eagle netminder thwarted Dartmouth's hopes for a title.
Dartmouth was blanked over the first two periods as Boston College built a 2-0 lead. The Big Green stormed back to tie the game in the third but fell in the game's second overtime.
The Big Green found themselves in a hole early when Boston College got on the scoreboard barely one minute into the game. The two teams played evenly throughout the rest of the period, but Dartmouth also could not capitalize on its three first-period power play opportunities.
The Big Green's even strength squad had trouble finding a rhythm, tallying only two shots in the opening period. The Dartmouth defense responded to the quick goal by shutting down the Eagle offense, allowing only six more shots for the remainder of the first frame.
The second period pictured mostly back-and-forth even-strength hockey, with chances on both ends. Dartmouth had the only full power play in the period, but the player advantage proved to be no advantage when Boston College scored on a shorthanded chance 16:31 into the period.
Dartmouth had not allowed a shorthanded goal in over a month. The second period concluded with the Big Green in a two-goal hole.
With the possibility of only twenty minutes of regulation left in their season, the Dartmouth women energized themselves to get back into the game. Cherie Piper '06 got the Big Green on the board merely two minutes into the final period, capitalizing on a power play with an unassisted goal.
Four minutes later and on the power play again, Dartmouth erased the lead held by B.C. since minute two of the game when Nicole Ruta '08 found the back of the net. Jenna Cunningham '09 and Maggie Kennedy '09 both assisted on the game-tying goal. Dartmouth continued the momentum throughout the period. The Big Green outshot the Eagles 13-8 in the final frame, but with the score still knotted at two, the game went to overtime.
Dartmouth controlled the first overtime but could not capitalize. The Big Green amassed 15 shots against the Eagle keeper, and the defense confined the B.C. offense to four shots. The second overtime played more evenly, and at 11:20 into the period, Boston College ended the game and Dartmouth's season with an even strength goal.
Dartmouth was not the only higher seed to go down in the quarterfinals. Mercyhurst and the University of New Hampshire also lost, meaning that top-ranked Wisconsin is the only team out of the original top four remaining.
Dartmouth compiled an impressive 27-5-2 record over the regular and postseason, and was ranked third in the nation from late January until the loss Saturday. The Big Green won the ECAC tournament just last week, were the regular season ECAC champions and were champions of the Ivy League. The team now heads into the off-season. Boston College goes on to play Minnesota-Duluth in the semifinals of the Frozen Four in Lake Placid, N.Y., next weekend.
