This week it was Dartmouth versus the state of Maine as the Big Green took on Central Maine Community College on Thursday and the University of New England on Sunday. 

    Thursday’s matchup was a battle for the top of the NECHA as CMCC came in looking for redemption after their first loss of the season: a one goal heartbreaker to Thomas College two days prior. Dartmouth on the other hand, had some rust and short handedness to overcome. CMCC was their first game in eleven days and leading scorer Trey Croddick was forced to watch from the stands under a one game suspension. In goal, Max Weinstein also made his first start of the season as Lucas Laroche was sidelined with illness. In the opening minutes, both teams struggled to get quality chances as play stagnated in the neutral zone. Midway through the first a Dartmouth tripping penalty set up the CMCC power play, which capitalized with a quick wrist shot over Weinstein’s shoulder. However, the return of CJ Woodbury brought wind back into the team’s sails as he buried a low angle rebound to tie the game back up at 1. Before the period expired though, CMCC jammed home an ugly goal to carry a 2-1 lead into the locker room. Four minutes into the second, the Big Green found another answer as Heath Monsma scored what he self-described as “possibly the prettiest goal of my career.” Monsma decided to hold onto the puck on a two on one and snapped a shot off the crossbar to even things up again. The Big Green power play showed a rare moment of mortality in the first half of the second, as they were unable to convert on either of the two opportunities given up by CMCC. This inability to claim a lead came back to bite them as CMCC netted another to go up 3-2 into the third. Dartmouth has been a third period team so far this season and the opening five minutes proved that to be true yet again. Chris Picard and Dylan Witzke scored back to back power play goals for the third tie and then fourth lead change of the game. Minutes later, a case of bad puck luck caused a prayer from the point to ricochet off Weinstein’s blocker and into the net bringing the score back to 4 apiece. Weinstein stayed solid through the rest of regulation though posting an impressive 37 saves in the first sixty minutes. By new rule, the game then went to a sudden death 3 on 3 overtime. After several nail biting chances Dartmouth got caught too deep in the offensive zone and gave up a two on one that ended hopes of the third undefeated regular season in a row. The final score was 5-4, but the Big Green will have another shot at the Mustangs away on February 5. 

    Three days later, Dartmouth took their newly acquired coach buses (thanks parents!) to Biddeford, Maine to face UNE for the second time this season. After a wild ricochet in front of the net put the Nor’easters on the board first, goals from two defensemen Andy McBurney and Ethan Weinstein gave the Big Green a lead they would not look back from. Similarly to the 7-1 rout less than a month ago where Dartmouth scored three power-play goals, penalties got the better of UNE. The Big Green improved upon their previous total converting on four out of a whopping eight opportunities. It was the usual suspects Croddick, Witzke, and Watson who all now have six goals across six games. Ryan Irving also contributed with a steady-handed finish for his third goal of the season, only one away from his total over sixteen games last year. UNE found the back of the net again in the closing minutes of the third period to make the final 7-2. 

    With five wins and one overtime loss, Dartmouth still holds a tentative lead in the NECHA but faces a critical road trip this coming weekend as they face off against a 5-2 Thomas team that is known to pack the barn followed by the first game at Colby in program history.