Despite a milestone set by goalkeeper Mike Devine '08 and a win over non-conference opponent Northern Michigan, the Dartmouth men's hockey team had a tough winter break. After reaching the championship game of the 2007 Wells Fargo Denver Cup, the Big Green dropped a 5-3 decision to the University of Denver on Saturday, Dec. 29 and a 5-2 decision Princeton on Friday, Jan. 4.
On Friday, Dec. 28, the Big Green knocked off Northern Michigan, coached by former NHL coach George Gwozdecky.
Dartmouth (5-6-1, 2-5-1 ECAC) started slow. In the first period Northern Michigan (9-12-1, 6-10-1 CCHA) outshot Dartmouth, but in the second period Dartmouth increased the pressure and significantly outshot the Wildcats 15-8. Dartmouth increased its lead by two in the third period with goals by Matt Reber '11, while Nick Johnson '08, the leader in Dartmouth career goals, gave the Big Green its fourth goal.
"We respect every opponent," assistant coach Dave Peters said after the lopsided win. "There are no easy games, even in our league every team is capable of going to Albany and playing in the ECAC championships."
Senior goakeeper Devine reached the 40 career wins milestone at the close of the Northern Michigan game, which ties him with the mark head coach Bob Gaudet '81 set as a Big Green player.
Dartmouth moved on to the championship game against host University of Denver (16-4-1, 11-3 WCHA).
While freshman defenseman Dan Markowitz '11 said the team "knew that Denver was probably one of the best teams we play this year maybe the best," Peters said that the team approaches every game the same way.
Although the team managed three goals and had 33 shots on net, the No. 3 Pioneers defeated the Big Green 5-3.
With an assist in the first period, Johnson became the 34th player in Dartmouth hockey history to record 100 career points. Johnson leads the active by a significant amount in career goals scored with 51 total; J.T. Wyman '08 follows with 34.
Wyman scored one of two power play goals for Dartmouth late in the third by getting past All-American Pioneer goaltender Peter Mannino. This, in addition to his consistently solid play in both the Northern Michigan and Denver games led the coaches of the tournament teams to vote Wyman to the All-Tournament Team.
With the score 4-3 in the third period, the Pioneers iced their win and capitalized on Dartmouth's decision to pull goaltender Devine with less than two minutes to play.
"We always know if we play our best we can win," Peters said. "Denver got a break and took the lead. If we had gotten a bounce or been able to take a lead it would have gone in our favor."
"We could have won," Markowitz said. "No doubt."
After their mixed success at the tournament, the team traveled to face Princeton on Friday, Jan. 4. The game ended with a 5-2 loss for Dartmouth 5-2. The Big Green were significantly outshot in the game, 45-24. The Tigers' 45 shots were the most the Big Green has given up all year.
"We didn't play as well as we could but we got off to a good start," Peters said. "They're a good team--tied for second place in our league. They played very well."
The team did not dwell on the loss though.
"After the game we went over a couple things we need to do better and review things we do well," Peters said. "Then we pack up and move on."
The keys to success are simple in the eyes of coach Peters.
"We want to focus on being consistent and getting off to a good start," Peters said.
Work ethic and focusing on the little things, he said, are the main focus of any team.
"You listen to pro coaches after games and it's the same," he said.
A team is successful, Peters says, by being "ready to play, mentally prepared to play and go out and play hard and keep it simple".
The coaching staff is excited about developing its younger players.
"[Evan] Stephens '11 has been outstanding on defense," Peters said. "He is a freshman so you never know what to expect from a freshman right away, but Evan came in, and he's been very good right away."
"I can't say were surprised, but we're happy about it," Peters said. "He's very important because we lost three seniors last year. He has really stepped in to fill that void."
Peters emphasized that the teams mixed success with a record of 5-5-1 didn't really mean anything.
"We're a young team," Peters said "but if you look back in past years, you'll find our record is very similar."
True to Peters claim, over the course of the two past years the team has delivered similarly mediocre opening records of 7-2-2 and 4-7-0.
In both years the records improved in the last eleven games to 8-2-1.
With the majority of the season before them, including two more contests against Princeton and one against a Harvard team that is currently sporting a single loss, the tradition of late season success is one the team is looking to continue.
"We really like our team," Peters said. "We're working on getting better and having a solid team to put forward."
