Big Green End Losing Streak, 4-2 Over Tigers

Friday, January 8, 1999
by Jason Patton

Princeton, NJ -- Dartmouth outworked and outplayed the Princeton Tigers and came away with a 4-2 victory Friday night.

"We have some good older players who are doing a nice job for us," said Dartmouth head coach Bob Gaudet. "And we have a real big group of young players that played with a lot of poise and really played like veterans tonight. So what we have to work on is just the consistency of doing that. I thought we got really good play on the blue line and our goaltender was outstanding."

The win ended the Big Green's three-game losing streak and it also marked the first time this season Princeton has lost back-to-back games.

After a scoreless first period, Dartmouth opened the scoring early in the second. Following consistent pressure by the Big Green in the offensive zone, senior David Risk brought the puck across the slot and flipped a backhander past Princeton goaltender Dave Stathos to put Dartmouth ahead 1-0.

Later in the period, Dartmouth increased the lead eight seconds after going on the power play. The Big Green won the offensive-zone draw and sent the puck to defenseman Scott Peach, whose slap shot blew past Stathos.

With the man advantage, Jeff Halpern cut the Dartmouth lead in half when he rifled a difficult angle shot from the corner past Big Green netminder Eric Almon.

Dartmouth regained a two-goal lead on the power play at the end of the second period. After Stathos made an initial save, Dartmouth worked the puck to freshman Frank Nardella in the slot who went high to make it 3-1.

The Big Green held Princeton at bay in the third period and sealed the victory when senior Curtis Wilgosh deposited a rebound behind Stathos in the closing minutes of the game.

Princeton added a meaningless goal in the final seconds when Chris Corrinet redirected a Jackson Hegland blast from the point to make the final score Dartmouth 4, Princeton 2.

Almon, a junior, earned the win in goal.

"He was just really solid," Gaudet said. "There were a lot of screen shots and pile-ups in front where he held his ground, used his stick, made some good tie-ups, and made some good saves."

With the win, Dartmouth improved its record to 6-8-0, 2-5-0 in the ECAC. The Big Green travel to New Haven, Conn., to take on Yale on Saturday.

Princeton fell to 10-4-1, 6-2-1 in the ECAC. The Tigers will try to turn their play around when they host Vermont on Saturday.

"All we talked about all week long was that we have to make a good effort," said Princeton coach Don Cahoon. "If you make a real good effort, if you stay with them effort wise, your skills, your experience, your strength will take care of the rest of it. We just did not make the effort."


Jason Patton is the play-by-play voice of the MAAC Game of the Week and an ECAC game reporter for U.S. College Hockey Online.

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