BIG GREEN KEEPS KNIGHTS FROM EARNING HOME ICE ON FRIDAY

February 24, 2006

Potsdam, NY – Nicole Ruta scored two first-period goals and Caroline Ethier produced a three-point night as Dartmouth cruised to a 6-2 win over the Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team in front of 237 fans Friday night at Cheel Arena.

With the loss, the 8th-ranked Golden Knights dropped to 21-11-1 and 12-7 in the ECACHL while Dartmouth improved to 12-10-4 and 9-7-3. The six goals allowed by Clarkson tied for the most ever allowed by the team since becoming a Division I program in 2003-04. It was also the second most goals scored by Dartmouth this season, falling short of the nine goals scored by the Big Green against Union.

From the drop of the puck to start the first period, Dartmouth controlled play. The Big Green scored four times in the opening 20 minutes, starting with a goal from Ruta. A pass from Julia Bronson came to Ruta in front where she shot, but the shot was initially stopped by Kira Hurley (Pickering, ONT) before trickling into the net at 3:25 of the first. Four minutes later, a give away behind the net gave Dartmouth a 2-0 lead. Ruta again scored when the puck squirted across the crease where she shot it into the open right side. Just three minutes later, the Big Green continued to out play the Knights with their third tally of the period. Left winger Caroline Ethier blocked an attempted shot by Clarkson and skated two-thirds of the ice on a breakaway, finishing the play with a pretty backhand for her ninth goal of the season. With less than a minute remaining in the frame, Dartmouth all but put the game away when Bronson slipped in a shot past Stephanie Hansen (Calgary, ALB).

A two-on-one started Dartmouth’s scoring in the second period as the Big Green scored at 4:03 while the two teams skated four aside. Ethier picked up her second goal of the game when she accepted the pass from line mate Danielle Grundy from the other side of the crease. Eight minutes later, a three-on-two turned into a three-one-one for the Big Green and while Jessica Finley (Arvada, CO) made the initial save on the tough rush, the rebound came right in front to Shannon Bowman. Line mates Maggie Kennedy and Marley McMillan each earned assists.

The third period saw the Golden Knights finally get on the scoreboard with less than 10 minutes remaining in the stanza. Sophomore Brooke Beazer (Kingston, ONT) scored her eighth goal of the season with a pass from classmate Meghan Park (Petrolia, ONT) at 11:39. Clarkson continued to climb back into the contest late in the game when Micheleen Devine (Medicine Hat, ALB) made it 6-2 Dartmouth at the 16:21 mark. Devine earned possession of the puck on a pass from behind the net and shot into an open left side. Ashley Shaidle (Hudson, OH) and Beazer each gained assists on the goal.

Hurley made five saves in the first and Hansen made three saves over the course of two periods while Finley closed the game with 14 saves in the final 36 minutes for Clarkson. Carli Clemis made 14 saves for the Big Green.

Dartmouth only out shot Clarkson 10-6 in its strong first period, but dominated in the second period with a 14-1 edge in shots. The game concluded with the Big Green attempting 28 shots on net and Clarkson shooting 16 times.

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