MANCHESTER, N.H. - Mike Devine made a career-high 54 saves and J.T. Wyman scored two goals to lead the Dartmouth College men's ice hockey team to Saturday night's 5-3 non-conference win against No. 5 University of New Hampshire at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
UNH is now 13-7-1 on the season while Dartmouth, which won the Battle for the RiverStone for the second time in its seven-year history, is 8-8-1. Wyman was honored as MVP for his effort, which included 14 saves in the first period, 28 in the second and 12 in the third.
The teams skated to a 1-1 tie in the first period. UNH struck first with a power-play goal at 13:46 to take a 1-0 lead. From behind the net, Danny Dries (Lake Orion, Mich.) moved the puck to Matt Fornataro (Calgary, Alberta) at the right doorstep. Devine stopped that shot, but the rebound caromed to the slot and Craig Switzer (Peachland, British Columbia) charged to fire a shot into the net.
Dartmouth pulled even, 1-1, at 14:56 on a rush down the left wing started by Jon Grecu, who moved the puck to Nick Johnson in the slot. Johnson advanced the puck to J.T. Wyman, who deposited the puck past Regan.
UNH controlled possession and created numerous dangerous scoring opportunities in the second period, but an opportunistic Big Green team potted goals at 2:05 and 8:07 to take a 3-1 lead. Kyle Reeds dumped the puck into the offensive zone and Rob Smith gained control in the right corner. He centered the puck to the slot, where Joe Gaudet's one-timer found the back of the net to give DC its first lead. Wyman netted his second goal of the game, this time on a power play, when he intercepted a clearing attempt at the high slot and fired a shot on goal. Regan made the initial shot, but the rebound went directly back to Wyman and his second attempt sailed into the net.
The Wildcats, who generated a 29-10 shot advantage in the middle stanza, pulled within 3-2 at 12:12 on an even-strength goal by James vanRiemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.). Jamie Fritsch (Odenton, Md.) swept the puck behind the net to Jerry Pollastrone (Revere, Mass.) in the right corner. He then fed a pass to the slot and vanRiemsdyk wristed a shot into the net.
Dartmouth regained a two-goal advantage at 8:40 of the third period when Reeds drew the puck off a faceoff back to John Gibson, whose shot from the left point fluttered through traffic into the net.
Josh Gillam, with the assistance of Scott Fleming and Adam Estoclet, extended DC's lead to 5-2 at 15:12.
The Wildcats called time out with 3:21 remaining and pulled Regan in favor of an extra skater. He was forced to reenter the game 13 seconds later, however, when a Wildcat was sent to the penalty box.
Kevin Kapstad (Boxboro, Mass.) closed the scoring with 23 seconds remaining. Thomas Fortney (Webster Grove, Mo.) was credited with an assist.
New Hampshire returns to action Jan. 25 at home against Boston University. Game time at the Whittemore Center is 7 p.m.