Published: 3/5/2018 12:27:27 AM
Modified: 3/5/2018 12:27:30 AM
Hanover — Escaping the ECAC playoffs’ first round and potential embarrassment, the fifth-seeded Dartmouth College men’s hockey team knocked off visiting St. Lawrence, 2-1, on Sunday and advanced to a best-of-three quarterfinal matchup at fourth-seeded Harvard, starting Friday in Boston.
The 12th-seeded Saints, the conference’s last-place finishers, ended their campaign with only four ECAC victories but went down swinging, sometimes literally. Only five penalties were called in front of an announced crowd of 1,061, but the referees declined to whistle many of the frequent hacks, whacks and other fouls.
A small scuffle occurred at the final horn, and several Dartmouth players made waving gestures bidding St. Lawrence goodbye. At least no one broke out the classic pantomime of a golf tee shot, often used against eliminated teams this time of year.
“We knew their thing was to get us off our game,” said Big Green forward Corey Kalk, who scored the game-winning goal early in the third period. “They did the shenanigans after the whistle, and we smiled and walked away and beat them on the scoreboard.”
Said Saints coach Mark Morris: “We know they don’t like the physical game and it’s not really our nature, but we’ll play that way when we have to. It came down to a bounce here and there. We make one more save and they make one less, and we win.”
The game-turning play occurred two minutes into the final period, when the puck caromed off a Saint skate immediately after a faceoff in the Dartmouth end. Kalk grabbed the inadvertent turnover on the left side and raced the length of the ice, sliding the puck between the legs of goaltender Arthur Brey.
“I drove to the back post and put the puck on the five-hole with a vengeance,” said Kalk, who was rammed into the right post after his shot and celebrated by wildly wrenching the cage off its moorings.
“(Brey) is good low, but he tends to open up his five-hole. We got two there last night, and we kept going for it tonight. In any series, the closing game is the toughest one. We stuck to our belief to the end.”
Dartmouth (15-15-2) struck for the first goal during the second period’s seventh minute and during a power play that featured a two-man advantage for the hosts. Will Graber received the puck on the blue line and, after switching sides with Connor Yau, ripped a low slapshot inside the left post.
“We needed to get one there,” said Dartmouth coach Bob Gaudet. “Will’s shot was a bomb.”
Said Morris: “The second penalty there, we got called for just lifting a guy’s stick. In a physical series, that’s a hard one to swallow. You’re down two men and your season’s on the line, so that stung.”
St. Lawrence produced a 1-1 tie a minute before the second intermission. The Saints bench was hollering for an interference call when one of its players went down while breaking out of the defensive end. Seconds later, Jacob Pritchard one-timed a point-blank chance past goaltender Devin Buffalo from between the circles. A careless Dartmouth giveaway behind its own net led to a quick feed out front.
“Any mistake you make, even the slightest, tends to haunt you because it’s playoff hockey and everything’s intensified,” Gaudet said.
Notes: Buffalo made 26 saves in his final Thompson Arena appearance. … Dartmouth skated without injured defenseman Brendan Less (ankle) and forward Alex Jasiek. Promoted to the lineup were blueliner Joey Matthews and forward John Ernsting, who’s battled injuries the second half of the season. … St. Lawrence (8-27-2) started players from California and Idaho and also has ones from Nevada, Texas and Sweden. … Should Dartmouth win the ECAC tournament title game in Lake Placid, N.Y., later this month, it would give Gaudet 308 victories at his alma mater and tie the mark set by Eddie Jeremiah (1937-67). ... On Sunday, Gaudet wore one of Jeremiah’s Dartmouth ties, which is embroidered with a school logo and features what appears to be a small, faded mustard stain from long ago. Gaudet said he was given the accessory by former Dartmouth sports information director Jack DeGange, who received it from one of Jeremiah’s relatives. … The Big Green is 8-3 in deciding games of best-of-three playoff series and 7-0 in such contests at home. It’s won the last five of those games and the last three of them came by one goal. ... Dartmouth is 12-1 in home playoff series and has won a playoff round for seven of the last eight years. Last winter was the exception. … The Big Green is 7-2-2 this season when tied after two periods. … Kalk’s last goal was against visiting Colgate on Jan. 26. Sunday’s tally was the senior’s sixth this winter and the 31st of his career.
Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com or 603-727-3227.