Yale Comeback Effort Falls Short

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – On a night when the Eli power play was clicking and the offense produced four goals, one of the nation's stingiest defenses could not turn it into a victory. Yale's unbeaten streak came to an end at three games against one of the hottest teams in ECAC Hockey. The Bulldogs fell 6-4 to Dartmouth, which extended its string without a loss to six contests.

Mike Doherty, Mitch Witek, Adam Larkin and Stu Wilson found the net, but the Big Green kept answering Yale goals. Playing from behind all night was just too much.

Dartmouth outshot Yale by two in the first period and hit the net two times more than the home team.

The Blue used its first shorthanded goal of the season to even things at 1-1 in the first. Ryan Hitchcock pick-pocketed a defenseman along the blueline and then skated into the right circle with that Big Green player all over him. Hitchcock caught a glimpse of Doherty streaking over the blueline on the left side. The connection was perfect and Doherty added to his team-best goal total (9) by wristing a rising shot blocker side.

Yale used a power play to cut the lead to 3-2 early in the second. Witek followed up shots by Doherty and John Hayden with a rebound off the left side of the cage at 8:12. His put-back from 10 feet away was his second goal of the season.

The Big Green added an even-strength and a power-play tally to enter the third with a 4-2 advantage.

Alex Lyon started in net for the Elis and made 17 saves before Patrick Spano came on in the third. The change helped provide some spark that produced a two-goal surge, but it just wasn't enough.

Larkin's first collegiate goal came on a shot from the point that found its way through traffic and made it 5-3. That led to another power-play chance for the Blue, who jumped all over the opportunity for a second man-advantage goal.

Carson Cooper has been doing a great job of winning face-offs this season, and he won a big one to set up Yale's fourth goal. Cooper, on the power-play, won the draw and then ended up with the puck behind the Dartmouth goal line. He passed to Wilson at the point. The junior center skated to the right dot before unleashing a nasty wrister glove side to make it 5-4.

Once again, the visitors answered to pad the lead, and it was too much to overcome.

"We didn't defend well. We left a bunch of guys open and gave up odd man rushes," said Keith Allain '80, Yale's Malcolm G. Chace Head Coach.

However, the Elis did have some chances to cut the lead in half with under two minute left when they pulled Spano for the extra man. Yale put some great shots on target before taking a penalty to end all hope.

BULLDOG BITES

Yale is now tied for third in the ECAC along with Harvard and Dartmouth at 18 points... The Blue began the weekend No. 16 in the Pairwise and moved up to 13 after beating Harvard on Friday. Yale fell to 18th after tonight's game... The Elis are on the road next weekend to face RPI and Union... The only change in the lineup from last night was Henry Hart at forward for Cody Learned… Dartmouth's second goal of the game appeared to hit high up on defenseman Adam Larkin's stick before changing direction and going into the net… The Yale Hockey Alumni Game took place Saturday afternoon with an OT win by the White.

Filed by Steve Conn, Yale Sports Publicity Director