Box Score

HANOVER, N.H. (2/24/07) – Dartmouth freshman T.J. Galiardi scored what stood up as the game-winning goal with 2:24 left in the third period as the Big Green defeated Colgate, 3-1, in men’s ice hockey on Saturday, Feb. 24, at Thompson Arena. The win clinches a first-round bye for Dartmouth, while the Raiders earn the No. 8 seed and will host No. 9 Rensselaer in the best-of-three series on March 2-4.  All game times are scheduled for 7 p.m.

Dartmouth opened the scoring nine minutes into the first period, 35 seconds into its first power play opportunity of the game. The Big Green set up in the zone, and freshman T.J. Galiardi cycled the puck up to senior Ben Lovejoy at the left point. Lovejoy sent it down to junior Nick Johnson in the left circle, and he beat Raider junior goaltender Mark Dekanich (North Vancouver, B.C.) through a screen.

Colgate responded with a power-play goal of its own during a 5-on-3 chance. Sophomore Nick St. Pierre (St. Etienne, Que.) played the puck D-to-D to classmate David Sloane (Ambler, Pa.) at the top of the slot. Sloane one-timed a shot toward the net, where it deflected off the raised stick of freshman David McIntyre (Pefferlaw, Ont.) and into the cage.

Colgate was sniffing around the Dartmouth zone for the go-ahead during a 4-on-3 power-play opportunity. Just as matching minors were released from their respective penalty boxes, junior Tyler Burton (Langley, B.C.) took a shot on net from the right circle. Dartmouth junior goalie Mike Devine made the save, but the rebound came out to junior Jesse Winchester (Long Sault, Ont.) on the left side. Winchester settled the puck just behind the goal line, and swung his stick around to try to stuff the puck into the cage. However, Devine pounced on the puck just as it reached the goal line to stymie the Raider scoring chance.

Dartmouth netted what stood up as the game-winner with just 2:24 left on the clock in the third period. Freshman Peter Boldt found sophomore Kevin Swallow in the zone, and he fed it to freshman T.J. Galiardi low on the right side. From near the goal line, Galiardi roofed the puck into the top left corner.

The Big Green iced the win with an empty-net goal with 17.8 seconds to play. A Raider turnover in the neutral zone gave junior Nick Johnson a clear shot at the cage, and his second goal of the night.

Dekanich finished the game with 33 saves, while Devine earned the win after making 20 saves. The Big Green outshot the Raiders 36-21 on the night.