3-Point Weekend Completed at Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H.  – The No. 9 Bulldogs came from behind to grab crucial conference points both nights this weekend. Tonight, down 2-0 early at Thompson Arena, they reeled off four straight goals to take a 4-2 decision at Dartmouth and finish off a three-point ECAC Hockey road weekend.

Chris Izmerlian, Stu Wilson, Ryan Hitchcock and Frankie DiChiara found the net and Alex Lyon turned aside 32 shots as Yale improved to 3-0-1.

The Elis were outshot 34-21 but their junior goalie blanked the home team for the last 44 minutes, including a pair of third-period power plays. That enabled the Blue, which was 2-for-7 on the advantage, to complete the comeback with Hitchcock's game-winner with 6:55 left.

Junior forward Mike Doherty, who had two big assists on the night, fired a shot from the right circle that hit the Dartmouth goalie and bounced straight up. Hitchcock spotted the puck from the side and moved in to get his stick on it just as it went in front of the goalie's facemask. The Yale forward swiped at it and knocked the puck into the net, a play that was later confirmed by video review.

"I saw Dots [Doherty] had some time and space on the half wall. Knowing how good of a shooter he is, I figured I should get to the net," said Hitchcock. "He sent me a nice shot-pass and I tipped it high off the goalie's shoulder and stayed in the air long enough for me to bat it in. It was a result of great puck movement by the other players out there. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."

Dartmouth, with its goalie pulled, was hoping a video review might get them back to even with 2:15 left after a Big Green skate kicked the puck behind Lyon. It was called no goal on the ice and confirmed by officials.

Shortly after, Frankie DiChiara put it away with an empty-netter from the right circle.

The Big Green scored early and late in the first period, both on shots that hit someone and changed direction before entering the net to send the home team up 2-0 at the first intermission.

Despite having the only two power plays of the frame, the Bulldogs were outshot 12-5.

The shots were closer in the second, but the scoring was all Blue. Senior forward Stu Wilson notched his first goal of the year on a power play and then Izmerlian evened the score at even strength late in the period.

The Bulldogs got the game's first four advantages and took advantage of the third to cut the lead in half. Senior defenseman Ryan Obuchowski got the puck to sophomore forward Ryan Hitchcock, who skated from the right circle toward the crease and lost the puck in traffic. That's where Wilson won the battle and poked the puck through the defenders and into the net at 8:47 for Yale's fifth power-play goal of the young season.

Doherty made the equalizer with a brilliant pass from the right corner. Standing among two defenders, the Reading, Mass., native spotted Izmerlian sprinting off the bench and heading for the high slot. Doherty threaded the needle to lead his Floridian teammate and the Sunshine State skater buried a quickly released shot from 20 feet away with 1:57 left in the second.

"I just tried to get in on the forecheck and was able to find the puck," said Doherty. "I had some time when I curled out and was able to find him [Izmirlian] open in the slot. It was a huge play by him to find the soft ice."

BULLDOG BITES

The only change in the lineup from Friday night was Ted Hart in at forward for JM Piotrowski… The Elis are at RPI next Friday night, the beginning of a third straight week on the road… The Yale home opener is Nov. 20 against Cornell… The Elis outscored opponents this weekend 6-4 despite being outshot… Goals came from five different Yalies.

Filed by Steve Conn, Yale Associate AD & Sports Publicity Director