First Place Icemen Evade Inspired Big Green, 4-2

It only ranked a five in style, but it was a ten in the outcome.

The Harvard men's hockey team downed a scrappy Dartmouth squad 4-2 last night at Bright Hockey Center.

The game was by no means pretty, but Harvard got the job done.

"The first period was probably the poorest performance of the season," Harvard Coach Ronn Tomassoni said, "but we improved in the second and third periods."

With the win, Harvard improved its ECAC record to 12-1-6 to remain atop the conference.

Dartmouth fell to 2-15-2 within ECAC action.

Indeed, the first period was a nightmare.

The Crimson came out flat, giving up the first goal to the Big Green at 7:21.

Dartmouth defender Steve Harb took a slapshot from the top of the right face-off circle. Forward Kevin Kiley redirected the puck in traffic, pushing it past Harvard goalie Chuckie Hughes.

Forward Matt Ocken pitched in with his third assist of the season.

The Crimson's power play faltered in the first period, as Harvard came up short on three Dartmouth penalties.

"We just were not moving," Tomassoni said. "We didn't pass the puck well and we were getting beat to the loose pucks."

Striking Back in the Second

The Crimson picked up the pace in the second period with 25 shots on goal. Two even managed to find the back of Dartmouth's net.

Harvard's first goal came at 2:00 on a power play. Forward Cory Gustafson passed to forward Ben Coughlin, whose shot rebounded off Big Green netminder Mike Bracco.

Forward Chris Baird picked up Coughlin's rebound and slipped it past Bracco, to tie it up 1-1.

The Crimson took the lead at 6:25 thanks to defender Bryan Lonsinger.

His slapshot from the top of the left face-off circle revived the familiar sieve chants among the Crimson fans.

Center Perry Cohagen and Gustafson were credited with assists.

Dartmouth knotted the score at 2-2 at 14:15 on a power play that was a result of defender Matt McCann's roughing penalty.

Big Green center Tom Nieman centered the puck from the bottom of the right circle. From there center Tony Del Carmine slapped it past a screened Hughes. Dartmouth defender Matt Collins tallied an assist.

Ahead for Good

The Crimson reclaimed its lead over the Big Green again on a power play goal at 12:05 in the third period. Center Steve Flomenhoft tipped in a loose puck that slid in from the left side of the crease. Forwards Matt Mallgrave and Tim Burke were there for the assists.

"I'm hoping its a good omen with these power play goals," Tomassoni said. "Its a good sign for the team."

Harvard was two-for-eight on the night on the power play.

Holding a 3-2 lead, the Crimson defense clamped down. Dartmouth got off only one shot on goal in the entire third period.

The Big Green pulled its goalie with 1:30 left in the contest, only to watch Burke securing his team's victory with a last minute empty net tally to put Harvard up 4-2.

"We learned that we can't overlook anyone," Tomassoni said. "Its a sign of a good team that we could come back and get the win."