Hanover
Playing for the first time in two weeks because of a pause for exams, the Big Green looked a step slow and a little disorganized while surrendering two shorthanded goals.
The loss extended Dartmouth’s losing streak against its neighboring rival to five games. The Big Green (3-3), which held a 47-29 shot advantage Saturday, has won only one of the teams’ last 12 clashes dating back to 2008.
“We’re not quite as crisp with the break,” said coach Bob Gaudet, who missed a chance to pass Eddie Jeremiah for career victories at Dartmouth with 309. “It’s a nonleague game at this point of the season for a reason.”
Dartmouth took 13 of the first 19 shots and opened the scoring during the 13th minute off a faceoff to the left of Catamounts goaltender Stefnos Lekkas. Jeff Losurdo pulled the draw back to defenseman Connor Yau at center point and the senior’s low shot was redirected in by rookie Drew O’Connor.
UVM (4-6) answered fewer than two minutes later and the Catamounts went up, 2-1, with two minutes remaining in the first period when Craig Puffer broke down the right wing and across the top of the circle before firing a shot along the ice and inside the far post.
The Big Green forged a 2-2 tie two minutes into the middle stanza when O’Connor walked out of the right corner and poked home the rebound of his own shot atop the crease. UVM went up, 3-2, when Alex Esposito burst down the left side, made defenseman Harrison Markell whiff on a body-check attempt at the Dartmouth blue line and cruised in unguarded on goaltender Adrian Clark.
Vermont moved ahead, 4-2, after Dartmouth’s Will Graber was dispossessed of the puck with a nifty hip check at the Catamounts blue line. The shorthanded visitors roared back the other direction and Joey Cipollone whipped a shot from the right circle, off the near post and crossbar and into the net.
A crowd announced at 2,950 thinned considerably after Dartmouth allowed its second short-handed goal of the night with 13 minutes remaining. The Catamounts breezed in 2-on-1 against Markell, and Jake Massie tapped a cross-crease pass into the net’s unguarded left side, prompting Gaudet to call a timeout.
“You can’t score 3-pointers in this game,” the coach said. “You have to shift by shift and play in the now and not be concerned about the scoreboard. Our body language was still good, and we had a flurry of offensive opportunities during the last three or four minutes.”
Dartmouth cut its deficit to 5-3 when Lusurdo scored with 13 minutes to play, but it was too little too late.
“(UVM) packed it in and blocked a lot of shots and showed a lot of courage,” Gaudet said. “Their goaltender was absolutely fabulous and we knew that going in.”
Said Dartmouth captain Kevan Kilistoff: “The two shorthanded goals ended up being the difference. Both were huge momentum shifters and deflated us… but nobody in our (locker) room is worried. We know how we can play at our best and tonight wasn’t our best, but we’ll bounce back.”
Notes: Dartmouth senior Carl Hesler skated in his 100th career game after missing last season for unspecified reasons. He is the 101st player to reach such a mark in program history. … The Big Green had been 3-0 on Saturdays this season. … Devin Buffalo, Dartmouth’s goaltender the past two seasons, is 0-2 with the ECHL’s Greenville (S.C.) Swamp Rabbits, posting a 5.76 GAA and an .820 save percentage. … Former Big Green captain Tyler Sikura had four goals and four assists in eight games with the AHL’s Rockford (Ill.) IceHogs. … Former Dartmouth player Duncan Walsh is working in statistical analytics for the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights… Tim Shoup, a 2018 graduate, recently signed with the ECHL’s Manchester Monarchs after previously playing in the same circuit with Orlando, which still features classmate Corey Kalk, who’s produced a goal and five assists in 10 games. … Hartford High graduate and UVM sophomore Nate Robinson works for the Catamounts hockey staff, and on Saturday he was charting players’ ice time in the press box. … Back for his third season skating a large “D” flag around the ice before the national anthem was Lyme, N.H. middle school student Dylan Jopp. … After proving the scourge of Dartmouth football games this fall, in-game timeouts required by broadcast partner ESPN+ are taken during the first whistle after the fifth, 10th and 15th minute of each hockey period. … The team’s “Skate with the Big Green” session will be held on Sunday, Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to noon at Thompson Arena. Fans should bring their own skates.
Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com or 603-727-3227.