HANOVER, N.H. – Dartmouth made the most of its man-advantage opportunities to earn a 3-1 victory over in-state rival New Hampshire in the Ledyard Bank Classic Friday night at Thompson Arena.
The Big Green (4-8-1) scored two power-play goals and once during a delayed penalty en route to the win. No. 16 New Hampshire (9-8-1) took eight penalties in the contest.
“It was just a lack of discipline on our part,” Wildcats coach Dick Umile said. “The penalties cost us tonight.”
The triumph marks the second straight non-league upset for the Big Green. Dartmouth earned a 5-4 win at No. 2 and defending national champion Denver on Dec. 16 before entering the holiday break.
Dartmouth freshman Matt Baker tallied the game’s first two goals 1:32 apart. Baker scored from the doorstep nine minutes into the contest while Dartmouth had an extra attacker on during a delayed penalty call. He followed up by scoring on the power play to build a two-goal Big Green advantage.
Baker’s linemates, Alex Jasiek and Corey Kalk, each contributed to his two-goal output. Jasiek assisted on both of Baker’s tallies. Kalk received the secondary assist on Baker’s second goal. Skating with Jasiek, a junior, and Kalk, a senior, has helped Baker’s confidence level, the freshman said.
“Playing with those guys, they make it a lot easier,” Baker said.
Dartmouth capitalized on another power-play opportunity with 1:43 remaining in the second period when freshman Quin Foreman scored his first collegiate goal. Foreman capped the game’s scoring when he redirected a Will Graber shot from the left circle past Wildcats senior goaltender Danny Tirone (27 saves).
“I think we had some success in Denver as well on the power play and we’ve been working a lot in practice,” Baker said. “We’ve been taking our time and really today, I think the boys were penetrating the lanes a lot more and we were getting the puck to the net and getting kind of lucky there a little bit.”
Wildcats junior Chris Miller scored his team’s lone goal on a rebound shot with 1:37 left in the first period.
Dartmouth killed off all three penalties it took, which Big Green coach Bob Gaudet said was an emphasis the team had heading into the season. UNH mustered five shots on goal over its three man advantages.
“It’s one of our keys – not taking undisciplined penalties,” Gaudet said. “We want to give ourselves the best shot and if you take an undisciplined penalty, a lazy penalty or a retaliatory penalty, it’s selfish. It doesn’t help our team.”
Devin Buffalo made 35 saves for Dartmouth.
“We lost control of the game with a lack of discipline,” Umile said.
