Currently ranked third in the ECAC standings, the Union Dutchmen (10-5-6, 4-2-3 ECAC) consistently dominated Dartmouth (7-6-2, 4-4-1 ECAC) in all three periods. Union gradually established a 3-0 lead in the first period, before tallying two goals in the first two minutes of the second period and adding another two in the first half of the third stanza.
Notching four power play goals out of six opportunities on Friday, the Dutchmen post a power play percentage of 27.2 this season. The Big Green failed to convert on all of its three power plays during the game. Dartmouth continues to lag behind the other ECAC teams in power play success, only scoring during 10.4 percent of power plays.
"[Union and RPI] have really good power plays and really high percentages," captain Mike Keenan '13 said. "You can't keep giving teams like that chances, which we did in both games. We had too many penalties."
The Big Green was called for nine penalties against the Dutchmen, especially as frustration and an ingrained rivalry led to several scuffles towards the end of the game. Union was penalized six times throughout the game.
Cole Ikkala scored Union's last goal at 9:24 in the third period before being penalized for roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct at 10:03. At 14:38 in the third, Brandon McNally '15 was charged with a five-minute charging penalty and a 10-minute game misconduct penalty.
Union sophomore forward Daniel Carr and freshman forward Trevor Mingoia scored twice to contribute to the Dutchmen's offensive outburst. Both forwards also added an assist to register three points each.
The Union squad outshot the Big Green 41-30 and averages 3.29 goals per game, compared to Dartmouth's average of 2.53 goals per game.
Dartmouth fared better on Friday with a 4-3 win against the Engineers (3-16-1, 1-7-1 ECAC), who are ranked last in the ECAC standings.
Despite dominating the first half of the second period to earn a 4-1 lead, the Big Green gave up two power play goals to RPI before the stanza ended. Closing the gap to a one-goal deficit, the Engineers capitalized on a two-man advantage resulting from two Big Green penalties occurring within one minute of play.
21 seconds separated RPI's two goals, as the struggling Dartmouth penalty kill unit proved ineffective.
"It was just back and forth, and it was a good game," Keenan said. "They are a lot better team than their record [suggests]. It was good for us to be able to pull out the victory."
Goaltender Cab Morris '14 made 28 saves, including seven in the third period, to protect Dartmouth's diminished 4-3 lead and secure the victory.
RPI had jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the first period before McNally knotted the game at 1-1 with his second goal of the season.
The tie score lasted until 8:24 in the second period, when Eric Robinson '14 took advantage of a power play opportunity to drill his seventh goal of the season. Robinson's shot was the first of the Big Green's three consecutive goals notched in the second period.
Dartmouth has posted five power play goals this season, going one for three on the power play against the Engineers.
"We're on the up-swing with that and we're getting better each game," Keenan said. "We're working to improve it."
At 14:20 in the second period, defenseman Rick Pinkston '15 netted his first collegiate goal, which would prove to be the game-winner.
The Big Green must now look ahead to next weekend's Battle for the Riverstone Cup against the University of New Hampshire. The teams will face off on Saturday at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, N.H. at 7 p.m.
After seizing the cup in 2011 from the No. 4 Wildcats for the first time in three years, Dartmouth hopes to outplay the currently unranked UNH squad (6-11-2, 4-8-1 Hockey East) this weekend.
"UNH is a very good team," Keenan said. "It should be a good battle and it's always a fun one to play in. We're definitely going to try to stay out of the penalty box. Like RPI and Union, a team like UNH will make you pay for that."
