Lake Placid, N.Y. " Dartmouth has been a dominant team in overtime games this season, posting a 4-0-4 record entering yesterday's game with Harvard. Memorable extra-time wins over Maine, Merrimack and more recently, Vermont, have been some of the highlights of this successful season for the Big Green squad.
Unfortunately, it had to come to an end sometime. With Dominic Moore's goal at 1:32 of the first overtime period, the Big Green's year-long unbeaten streak came to an end, and the Crimson carried home a 3-2 win in the consolation game at the ECAC Championships at Lake Placid.
Though the teams were only playing for third place, and more importantly pride, both teams provided enough excitement to satisfy the sparse crowd in attendance.
For a team playing its third game in as many nights, garnering the requisite amount of energy proved a tall task.
"It's an emotionally draining experience," head coach Bob Gaudet '81 said after the game. "We kind of ran out of gas. We were playing on emotion."
Emotion wasn't enough for the Big Green apparently, but the team will take more than just a win and two losses home from Lake Placid.
"We've had a lot of bumps in the road over the course of my last four years," senior Peter Mahler said after his final game in the Green and White. "It's bittersweet obviously, but I can't say how much respect I have for this team, for Dartmouth."
While the Big Green would have liked to earn a bit more at the tournament, they will settle for the valuable experience the trip gives them, and look towards next year, when they lose only three players from this team.
After the game Harvard coach Mark Mazzoleni joked that he will be voting for the Big Green for first in the ECAC Coaches poll next season, but tonight his team had Dartmouth's number.
The play in the first period mirrored the atmosphere in the 1980 Rink, causing more yawns than cheers. However, the Crimson drew first blood with a power-play goal at 10:30 of the period.
Aaron Kim's shot from the point was deflected by Dennis Packard, and the screened Nick Boucher '03 had little chance to stop it.
Despite four penalties by the Big Green in the period, the Crimson was not able capitalize on their other chances, and Dartmouth escaped the period down by only one.
Dartmouth answered with a goal by Jamie Herrington '02 at 9:50 of the period. Mike Byrne '01 passed to Herrington from the point, and the junior tri-captain did not miss on the one-timer. Jason Costa '04 also assisted on the goal.
Harvard did not let the tie stand for long, as Tyler Kolarik regained the lead for Harvard at 12:26. Packard fed the speedy freshman in front of the net and Kolarik tallied his 13th of the season.
Dartmouth had the better chances of the period, but Harvard netminder Oliver Jonas stood tall in the cage, making 12 saves on the period.
The Big Green knotted the game at 11:27 on the power play, to give Dartmouth its first power-play goal of the weekend. Eight seconds into a two-man advantage, sophomore Pete Summerfelt's shot from the point was tipped in by Mike Murray '02. Kent Gillings '03 picked up the other assist on Murray's goal.
The tie stood until 1:32 of the overtime period, when Dominic Moore wheeled out from the corner and lifted it past Boucher to give Harvard the win.
Boucher made 33 saves in the loss, while Jonas stopped 32.
The loss brings Dartmouth's final record to 16-14-4, while Harvard ends the season with a 16-15-2 mark.
