Big Green Teams
IN our last installment, offered in the aftermath of the holiday trips, and subsequent ventures in early January, Dartmouth's basketball fortunes seemed to be on the rise while the Green hockey team toiled through a period of frustrating transition.
A month later, frustration is George Blaney's fate while Grant Standbrook's hockey team has survived the trials of January and is reaping some of the rewards that have eluded Dartmouth's skaters for so long.
Driving into the final three weeks of the season, Dartmouth has accomplished some gaudy and gratifying objectives.
It seems that things get better with each day for the Indians who have built a four-game win streak against impressive competition and have buried some bad hockey memories in the process. For instance:
The first wins over Cornell and Harvard since 1965 and the first win at Watson Rink in Cambridge since 1960. That came in mid-February, 4-3, and is the final reference point at this writing.
It's been a spectacular month, beginning with a 4-1 win over St. Lawrence at Davis Rink. Three nights later, though, things seemed to be back on the ground as Cornell won at Lynah Rink in Ithaca, 8-0. It wasn't as bad a defeat as the score might indicate. It was, more accurately, another stone in the rebuilding process that Standbrook has endured for several weeks.
"We played well but not at full strength," said Standbrook. "Bill Berry was ill and Mike Turner had to center two lines. Cornell skated four lines and after two periods we were behind 3-0 and pretty run down."
It was the last thing that's gone wrong for the Green. A week later, Cornell came to Davis Rink and the pieces fell into place for Dartmouth. The Big Red, beaten at home for the first time in 64 games (by Clarkson) between the games with Dartmouth, had little reason to suspect things would be other than in the first meeting.
Not so, as far as Turner & Company was concerned. First, Fred Riggall (see accompanying story) flashed a 30-footer past Dave Elenbaas, the Cornell goalie. Then Turner made it 2-0 in the second period. Cornell tied it in the third period but Dartmouth's checking game was at its best and the Indians withstood the persistent Red through regulation time.
Into the overtime and at 3:18, Turner stole the puck near mid-ice. Riggall, just coming on during a line change, took a perfect pass and beat Elenbaas again.
The 3-2 win was the first over Cornell in eight seasons. But greater things lay ahead.
At Boston College, a 13-year victory famine against the Eagles ended with a 4-2 success. Dartmouth was supposed to be a virtual sure thing for Snooks Kelley (who retires after this season as BC's coach) in his pursuit of 500 career coaching wins. It was Dartmouth's night, ending 17 straight Eagle wins.
On to the Winter Carnival rematch with Yale, a team that topped the Indians 6-5 in overtime at New Haven in January.
The momentum now belonged to the Green and the balance this team has developed was never more apparent as the third line collected five goals (Bill Dunbar had three) in a 7-3 romp.
And then Harvard. It had the look of a nightmare as the Crimson scored in 90 seconds and got another when Dartmouth defenseman Jim Edgeworth tried to clear the puck and tipped it past goalie Peter Proulx instead.
Bob Nuffort broke the ice for Dartmouth three minutes later and the Indians got a pair from Riggall and Dunbar within 22 seconds in the last minute of the first period to jump ahead 3-2.
A scoreless second period (controlled by Dartmouth) and then Dunbar got another as the third period began. The Indians survived a major penalty to Berry, allowing but one score and Proulx was fantastic with 38 saves including three supers as the third period began.
It's the first time since 1965 that Dartmouth has won so many games in a row against ECAC Division One foes. With five games remaining (four at home) and ten wins already in the bag (the most since 1965), it's easy to see that the Indians are suddenly playing with poise and confidence.
Standbrook points to improved checking as a key to the turnaround. After rebuilding first the defense and then the front lines during January, the results are showing. "We're going to the corners and getting the puck," he said. "We're hitting harder but penalties are down."
The defense, built around senior Don Anderson, has. stabilized with Dana Johnson, converted from a wing. "Dana really strengthened the defense," said Standbrook. "He was a center who had to play wing (with Turner and Berry centering). It was frustrating for him but now he feels he's contributing much more."
Proulx, the junior goalie, was shaky in January after suffering a concussion in St. Louis but is now playing shot angles like a pro. "He wasn't playing with confidence," said his coach, "and neither was the rest of the team. It's not just, a case of better defense and better play by Proulx. Now the forwards are doing a great job in the defensive end, forcing play to the outside and not giving up good angles."
The scoring opportunities are apparent. Turner's line (he centers Steve Arndt and sophomore Bob Hayes) struggled for awhile but has regained the form that makes Turner the solid scoring leader for the third year in a row.
The second line of Riggall, Berry and Nuffort is the hottest combination although the third liners—Dunbar, Dave Walkom and Howie Hampton - demonstrated otherwise against Yale and Harvard.
It adds up to a team that's playing as well as anyone in the East (or the West, for that matter) and may surprise everyone (except itself) as an ECAC tournament contender.
