"It was very disappointing and frustrating," captain Peter Boldt '10 said. "We strung together three really good efforts and came out on the wrong end. It seemed like a summary of the season just like tonight, we didn't get the bounces."
Quinnipiac netminder Dan Clarke stopped 26 shots, keeping the Big Green off the scoreboard until 13:57 into the third period when Joe Stejskal '11 notched Dartmouth's lone goal, assisted by assistant captain Scott Fleming '11.
Forced to kill off a penalty with less than four minutes remaining in the third frame, Dartmouth failed to score the tying goal while the time ticked away on its season. The Big Green went 0-3 on its power plays.
James Mello '12 started all three series games for the Big Green, but was relieved by Jody O'Neill '12 in the first period in Sunday's game after an injury. Mello and O'Neill each gave up one goal in the loss.
After splitting the first two games of the series, Dartmouth approached the third game attempting to make it past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since the 2006-2007 season.
"It is do or die," Adam Estoclet '11 said before the game. "Whenever we limit penalties, we tend to win. To come to Quinnipiac and win would surprise some people."
After a first-game loss, Dartmouth pounded the Bobcats for a 6-3 victory on Saturday to even the series at 1-1.
Giving the Big Green a 4-0 lead, Matt Reber '11 potted the game-winning goal at 16:27 of the second period right over the glove of goalie Clarke, assisted by Estoclet and Fleming.
Reber later capped the night off with Dartmouth's sixth goal, notched with less than nine minutes remaining in the third frame. The Big Green's starting line contributed four of the six goals, with Reber, Estoclet, Fleming and Evan Stephens '11 combining for 10 points.
"It is just chemistry," Fleming said. "Every game we are getting a bunch of opportunities. We feel that every night our line is capable of getting three goals."
Despite ranking eighth in the ECAC with an 18.6 power-play percentage this season, Dartmouth capitalized on all three of its man-advantage opportunities during the win.
Just 2:50 into the first period, Paul Lee '12 put the biscuit in the basket for the fourth time this season, assisted by Alex Goodship '13, to give Dartmouth an early 1-0 lead.
Doug Jones '12 also posted two points, drilling his fourth goal of the season on the power play at 2:11 of the second and earning his 21st assist on Estoclet's power play goal 3:31 later into the frame.
Dartmouth continued adding to its lead, burying Quinnipiac under a 4-0 deficit with less than four minutes remaining in the second period before allowing the Bobcats onto the scoreboard with 1:16 left in the period.
Two additional goals during the third period were not enough for the Bobcats, as the Big Green survived to force a third game. Dartmouth outshot Quinnipiac 35-31, holding the Bobcats to 1-5 on the power play.
"Team defense has been fantastic," Mello said. "We have done a really good job of shutting stuff down in the zone and blocking shots it has been pretty easy for me."
Entering the playoff series riding on a five-game unbeaten streak at the end of the regular season, Dartmouth suffered a 3-2 loss in Friday's game.
Despite a power play goal notched by Fleming with 1:19 remaining in the game to put the Big Green within one, Dartmouth could not get the crucial third goal to knot the game.
Potting his 21st goal of the season, Fleming was assisted by Estoclet and Reber with 18 seconds left on the man-advantage.
Quinnipiac scored twice in the third period to establish a 3-2 lead against a Big Green squad that has given up the most third-period goals in the ECAC this season.
"We actually played well Friday and I thought dictated play for most of the game," Boldt said. "We weren't sharp and crisp at times, which allowed the momentum to swing in their favor."
Jean-Marc Beaudoin netted the game-winning goal for the Bobcats midway through a power play at 9:33 in the third frame. Both Beaudoin and Eric Lampe, who assisted on the goal, posted their 100th career points on the play.
Just four minutes earlier in the third period, Lampe had given Quinnipiac a 2-1 lead.
After a scoreless first period, Dustin Walsh '13 was the first skater to break onto the scoreboard at 1:23 of the second period, off of a series of passes from Jones and Nick Walsh '12.
Bobcat Brandon Wong responded less than four minutes later to tie the game at 1-1, notching a top-shelf goal with one second remaining on a five-on-three advantage.
