A series of passes from assistant captain Scott Fleming '11 and Joe Stejskal '11 with 2:17 remaining in the game set up Estoclet, who slapped the puck into the top corner of the net. The goal was the final touch on the Big Green's (8-17-2, 6-12-2 ECAC Hockey) comeback after a 4-2 third-period deficit to the Big Red (16-8-3, 13-5-2 ECAC Hockey).
"It was unbelievable for the older guys and I think the younger guys just because it was a fight for a full 60-minute game," captain Peter Boldt '10 said. "I can't even describe it. We are so happy."
Seniors Boldt and assistant captain Joe Gaudet '10 teamed up to tie the game at 4-4, with Gaudet notching his sixth goal of the season with less than four minutes remaining in the final frame.
For the first time since the tennis ball game against Princeton University, the student section in Thompson Arena was rowdy.
"The crowd was unbelievable," Fleming said. "The student section was really loud it was a really nice feeling. We appreciate it so much."
Dartmouth drilled the puck past Cornell goalie Ben Scrivens four times in the third period after allowing Cornell to jump to an early 3-1 lead during the first period. Scrivens leads the ECAC with a .932 save percentage and a 1.97 goals against average.
The second frame was scoreless for both teams, each taking 10 shots. Big Green netminder James Mello '12 earned his eighth start of the season against the Big Red and now posts a 3.08 GAA and a .916 save percentage.
"The first period wasn't our greatest, and the second we played well but didn't really get results," Fleming said. "We were really excited heading into the third, and we were able to put the puck into the net."
Five different Dartmouth skaters Estoclet, Stejskal, Fleming, Matt Reber '11 and Doug Jones '12 notched two points apiece in the victory.
Despite being outshot 39-32, the Big Green capitalized on two of four power-play opportunities while the Big Red was kept to 0-3 on the man advantage.
This was an improvement for Dartmouth from the previous night's matchup against Colgate (13-13-6, 10-8-2 ECAC Hockey), during which the Big Green went 1-5 on power-play chances.
Settling for a 6-6 tie against the Raiders on Friday night, the Big Green failed to take a shot during a final power play that spanned the last 1:13 of overtime.
Dartmouth had a consistent lead throughout the game until Colgate junior Brian Day tied the score at 6-6 with less than six minutes remaining in the third frame to force the overtime period. Day also earned two assists in the game.
"The glass half filled is that we have worked hard enough to get leads, but the glass half empty is that we've given up some of them," head coach Bob Gaudet said.
Carrying the puck down the right boards, Estoclet passed to Kevin McCarthy '10 along the blue line, who one-timed the puck into the left side of the net to put Dartmouth up 6-4 early in the third period.
In his second-to-last home game, McCarthy said goodbye to Thompson Arena with his first collegiate goal.
"It's been a disappointing run this year, but I can't say enough about the experience I've had with this program," McCarthy said. "It was good to get a goal and get the monkey off my back."
Alex Goodship '13 also notched his first collegiate goal assisted by Paul Lee '12 2:35 into the second period to establish a 5-3 Big Green lead.
Jumping to an early 2-0 lead with goals by Andrew Owsiak '11 and Fleming within 4:04 in the first period, Dartmouth later established its greatest lead of the night, 4-1, when Fleming notched his second goal on the power play 11:11 in the first to force a Colgate goalie change.
The Raiders slowly climbed back with another two goals in the first frame, tightening the Dartmouth lead to 4-3.
Goaltender Jody O'Neill '12 earned the start against Colgate. He posted 35 saves and now has a save percentage of .888.
With the ECAC playoffs quickly approaching, Dartmouth remains in second-to-last place in the standings with 14 points, while Cornell is tied with No. 16 Union College for second with 28 points and Colgate sits in fourth, tied with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
The Big Green will hit the road to face off against St. Lawrence University at 7 p.m. Friday and Clarkson University at 4 p.m. Saturday.
"We lost to Clarkson but beat St. Lawrence earlier in the year, and we feel good coming off of tonight," Boldt said after the win on Saturday. "We are excited. We are going to try and get on a roll."
