DURHAM, N.H. - Junior Charlie Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass.) netted the game-winning goal with just nine seconds left in overtime to lift the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team past Dartmouth, 5-4, in the second game of the home opening weekend on Saturday at the Whittemore Center. The Wildcats now improve to 4-2-1 (2-1-0 HEA) on the season, while the Big Green fall to 0-2-0 (0-1-0 ECAC). Sophomore Angus Crookshank (North Vancouver, British Columbia) and junior Patrick Grasso (Ankeny, Iowa) both had two goals in the game and sophomore Jackson Pierson (Zionsville, Ind.) had a career-high four assists.
UP NEXT: The Wildcats will host No. 3 UMass on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 1 p.m.
Score: New Hampshire 5, Dartmouth 4
Records: New Hampshire (4-2-1, 2-1-0 HEA), Dartmouth (0-2-0, 0-1-0 ECAC)
Location: Durham, N.H. (Whittemore Center)
Date: Saturday, November 2, 2019
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Attendance: 4012
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Just 23 seconds into the first period, Crookshank broke the ice on a 2-on-1 after Kelleher and Pierson stole the puck on the backcheck and took the puck the other way. Kelleher sent a pass just out of Crookshank's reach and on goal that Adrian Clark kicked right to Crookshank's stick who buried it on the rebound. Pierson got the second assist on the play.
- At 2:07 of the first period, Dartmouth responded with a shot in the slot from Ryan Blankemeier who rung it off of the left post and in. It was originally called no goal on the ice but after reviewing the play, the call on the ice was overturned. Christian LeSueur and Tanner Palocsik had the assists.
- At 15:30 of the first period, Grasso capitalized for the Wildcats near the end of a 5-on-3 opportunity after Pierson found him creeping down in the slot. He one-timed the pass from the corner low to the stick side. Junior Max Gildon (Plano, Texas) also got an assist on the play.
- At 15:57 of the first period, Dartmouth had a quick response again after Matt Baker followed up his own shot in front of the net, which Taylor made a glove save while down, but Baker dove and buried the rebound. Eric Urbank and Joey Matthews had the assists.
- After the first period, the Wildcats outshot the Big Green 9-6 in the first period. Dartmouth was 0-1 on the power play and UNH was 1-2.
- At 8:07 of the second period, Dartmouth capitalized on its second power play opportunity of the game after Jeff Losurdo took a wrist shot from the bottom of the right circle that hit off the bottom of Taylor's glove and snuck into the net. Brendan Less and Tanner Palocsik had the assists on the goal.
- At 9:52 of the second period, Dartmouth increased its lead to two after a shot from Brendan Demler from the point was deflected in the slot and into the net by Matt Baker. Jeff Losurdo also had an assist on the goal.
- The Big Green outshot the Wildcats 13-7 in the second period and 19-16 in the game. Dartmouth was 1-1 on the powerplay in the period, while UNH was 0-2.
- At 7:41 of the third period, Crookshank cut the Dartmouth lead to 4-3 after he one-timed a cross-ice pass on a 3-on-2 from Pierson at the top of the right circle off Clark's stick and over his left shoulder for Crookshank's second tally of the game.
- With just 54 seconds left in the third period, Grasso deflected a Gildon one-timer through Clark's legs and into the back of the net for a game-tying power play goal.
- UNH outshot the Big Green 10-5 in the third period and 26-25 in the game. UNH was 1-2 on the power play in the period and Dartmouth was 0-1.
- With just nine seconds left in overtime, Kelleher stuffed a shot five-hole on Clark from the left side of the net after a shot from the point from Gildon ricocheted off of Crookshank's skate and found his stick.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Sophomore Ty Taylor (Richmond, British Columbia) made 23 saves to improve to 2-0 on the season, while Clark posted 22 saves.
- UNH outshot Dartmouth by a 28-26 margin.
- The Wildcats went 3-6 on the power play and the Big Green finished 1-3.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- Crookshank scored the first goal in both Friday and Saturday's games. He finished the game with two goals and an assist and three total goals on the weekend.
- Gildon has now recorded a point in every game except for one. He had career-high three assists in tonight's game and has three goals and eight assists. He is tied for a team high 11 points on the season.
- Pierson had a career-high four assists in the game and is tied for a team leading 11 points on the season. The last time a Wildcat recorded four assists was when Tyler Kelleher posted four assists at UMass on Oct. 23, 2015.
- Kelleher now has two game-winning goals this season and three total.
- Five of UNH's first seven games have gone to overtime. With the win tonight, the Wildcats improve to 3-1-1 in overtime games. UNH's last three wins have come in overtime.
- UNH is now 2-1-0 against Dartmouth in their last three matchups.
- UNH now leads the all-time series against Dartmouth 38-21-3.
