Attempting to survive the first round of the ECAC playoffs for the first time in three years, the 10th-seeded Dartmouth men's hockey team prepares to face off against seventh-seeded Quinnipiac University this weekend in Hamden, Conn.
The Big Green (9-17-3, 7-12-3 ECAC Hockey) failed to earn home ice for the best-of-three series despite ending on a five-game unbeaten streak.
"We are getting better and better," head coach Bob Gaudet said. "What we have to do against [Quinnipiac] is be consistent not turn over the puck in the neutral zone and in our end. We have to be tough physically."
In the last weekend of regular season play, Dartmouth skated to a 3-3 overtime tie with Clarkson University on Saturday after beating fifth-seeded St. Lawrence University on Friday.
Assistant captain Scott Fleming '11 netted two goals in the victory over the Saints, recording his sixth multiple-point game of the season, and scored his 20th goal of the season against the Golden Knights. He leads the team in goals, while Adam Estoclet '11 is the team's high-scorer with 33 points.
Dartmouth has also surpassed nationally ranked competition this season, upsetting No. 18 Union College, 3-1, on Jan. 23, and No. 9 Cornell University, 5-4, on Feb. 20.
The Bobcats (17-15-2, 11-11 ECAC Hockey) also enter the postseason with momentum after ending their season with a 4-3 upset win over No. 6 Yale University the top team in the ECAC. Quinnipiac also thrashed Brown University, 8-3, the previous night to start off the weekend sweep.
Despite earning 13 wins in 14 games, the Bobcats slowed during the second half of the season, losing 14 of their next 21 games.
The Big Green and Quinnipiac split their two regular season meetings, with Dartmouth earning a 4-3 victory on Jan. 29 after the Bobcats delivered a 4-2 loss earlier in the season.
Contributing to the 4-3 victory, Dustin Walsh '13 notched two goals and Estoclet potted the game-winning goal in the third period to end the 3-3 stalemate.
In the 4-2 defeat, the Big Green was 2-10 on the power play, with Walsh and Fleming notching Dartmouth's only goals during the second frame. Both teams combined for 18 penalties.
Jody O'Neill '12 and James Mello '12 split both games against the Bobcats earlier in the season. They continue to share time in net, with O'Neill earning 59 percent of playing time and Mello recording 38.2 percent.
Mello after starting both of last weekend's games is currently ranked second in the ECAC with a save percentage of .916. In his 19 starts, O'Neill has posted a save percentage of .888.
"Based on last weekend, I thought [Mello] did a really solid job for us in goal," Gaudet said. "I know he is very capable, and I know that [O'Neill] has worked really hard he has been very sharp in practice. I wouldn't see any reason why [Mello] wouldn't get the first start, but we'll see."
The defense's play has also improved during the Big Green's closing surge, according to defenseman Joe Stejskal '11.
"One of the things we are working on is our defense and zone coverage which I think has gotten tighter," he said. "Identifying guys on the back check we have done a lot of work on that which has helped our defense a lot."
Receiving third-team All-ECAC honors for the second time, Evan Stephens '11 is the team's highest scoring defenseman with six goals and 13 assists this season. He also leads the team with 20 penalties, totaling 59 penalty infraction minutes.
Last year, the Big Green was swept by Rensselaer Polytechnic University in the first round of the ECAC playoffs, falling 3-2 in overtime the first night and 3-1 the next day to end the postseason run.
Dartmouth has not been to the NCAA Frozen Four since 1980, when it finished No. 3 in the nation.
Taking to the road this weekend, Dartmouth will play Quinnipiac on Friday and Saturday, with the third game played on Sunday night, if necessary. All of the games begin at 7 p.m.
"Short-term focus is really crucial you are in the moment and you play hard," Gaudet said. "You don't get caught up in where you are and what people expect. We have some hockey left in us, so we will do our best to chip away."
