Tuesday, December 3, 1991 at Volpe Complex, North Andover, MA
NONCONFERENCE GAME
Dartmouth Big Green (1-4-0)        1     1     0  -  2
Merrimack Warriors (6-7-0)         2     0     1  -  3
FIRST PERIOD                                                         MC-D
1. MC1, Guy Ragault #1 (Quentin Fendelet, Bryan Miller), 2:01.        1-0
2. MC2, Fendelet #1 (Rob Kelley), 5:10.                               2-0
3. D1, Tony DelCarmine (unassisted), 16:01.  SHG                      2-1
SECOND PERIOD
4. D2, Dion DelMonte #2 (Patrick Turcotte), 10:18.  PPG               2-2
THIRD PERIOD
5. MC3, John Barron #4 (Matt Adams, Brendan Locke), 9:11.  GWG        3-2
SHOTS ON GOAL: Dartmouth   9-11--6 = 26
               Merrimack  15-12-14 = 41
GOALIES: Dartmouth, Vern Guetens (1-2-0, 59:10, 41 shots-38 saves).
         Merrimack, Steve D'Amore (4-6-0, 60:00, 26 shots-24 saves).
POWER PLAYS: Dartmouth, 1 of 7.  Merrimack, 0 of 4.
PENALTIES: Dartmouth 9/18.  Merrimack 12/24.
REFEREE: Scott Leavitt.  LINESMEN: Bill Jones, John Costello.
ATTENDANCE: 547 (capacity 3,617).
THREE STARS: 1. Quentin Fendelet, Merrimack (1-1--2).
             2. Guy Ragault, Merrimack (1-0--1).
             3. Dion DelMonte, Dartmouth (1-0--1).
 
HOCKEY-L list member Guy Ragault got in the lineup and played a fabulous
game, scoring his first career goal just 2:01 into the game, and his line
picked up the slack at both ends of the ice to lead Merrimack to its first
win in four games.  If you saw the game on NESN, you know how well Guy
played, so send him some mail to swell his head and tell him what a good
game he had.
 
The big story prior to the game was the loss of three key players from the
Merrimack lineup.  Matt Crowley, who had six goals in 12 games, suffered
a ruptured spleen in Friday's loss to Alaska-Anchorage.  He was operated
on and will be out for about 5-6 weeks.
 
Today, it was announced that coach Ron Anderson had decided to suspend
leading scorer Agostino Casale (13-11--24) and goalie Yannick Gosselin,
both seniors, for "conduct unbecoming a Merrimack College hockey player."
The press release adds that "no further comment will be made on the
suspensions by Coach Anderson or any members of the Merrimack team."  In
our pregame interview, Anderson said that he "wasn't happy with some of
their actions" and that the ultimate decision rests with him.  He said
that both players would not be practicing or playing with the team, and
when asked if they'd return later in the year, he said that decision had
not been made yet.
 
Before I get asked :-), I don't know anything further than what you just
read.  However, I hope you understand that even if I did, I'd still have
to lie and say I didn't know anything.  I'll leave it at that.  The brass
wishes to make no further comment and I won't be giving any further
information, whatever I may or may not know.  My only comment, which I
said on the air, is that Anderson (and any coach) needs to assert his
authority and this is a clear example of that.  Whatever occurred, it was
clearly something that Anderson decided he needed to take action on, and
he has been known to treat all players equally in this regard.
 
As it turned out, the line that started the night as the fourth line for
Merrimack was the most effective.  Ragault, Fendelet and Rob Kelley got
a chance to show what they could do, and they played so well that Anderson
went to them over and over in key situations including the power play.
Ragault, who entered the game with no points in two years of limited
playing time and injuries, scored on his second shift of the season.  At
6'4", 210, he is a lot bigger than the Dartmouth players, and he just
set up in front and banged in a feed from Fendelet at 2:01.  Then, at
5:10, Fendelet (6'2", 205) scored on a similar play when he was fed by
Kelley.  It seemed that their early success and Anderson's confidence
in the line gave them an ability to run wild and make plays without fear
of making mistakes, and this was very good to see.  With the players that
Merrimack is missing, these three will be counted on to fill in and
provide some solid play, and hopefully it's a good sign.  As it turned
out, Fendelet and Ragault were named the game's first and second stars.
 
Merrimack was to be held scoreless for the next 45 minutes as Dartmouth
goalie Vern Guetens (38 saves) came up big time and time again.  The Big
Green were missing some key players of their own due to injuries, most
notably defensemen Nate Dudley (groin) and Dan Williams (separated
shoulder), along with forwards Greg Chapman and Scott Fraser (2 goals).
 
Dartmouth cut the lead to 2-1 at 16:01 when Tony DelCarmine picked off
a pass deep in the Merrimack zone, wheeled and beat Steve D'Amore for
a shorthanded goal.  Merrimack was again guilty of coughing up the puck
and D'Amore had been forced to make some point-blank saves, but he
couldn't do anything on DelCarmine's goal.
 
The only goal of the second came from Dartmouth's Dion DelMonte on the
power play at 10:18.  It came just five seconds into the man advantage
as Patrick Turcotte put a shot on net from the high slot off the faceoff,
and DelMonte was able to bat the rebound in from right in front.  That
tied the score and the Big Green were able to shut down a Merrimack
power play and go to the locker room tied at 2-2.
 
The third period saw Merrimack open up the game a little more and put
some quality shots on Guetens, who was only beaten once but that turned out
to be the difference.  Matt Adams, who seems to play better and better
with each game, took a feed behind the net from Brendan Locke and carried
in front where he tried to stuff it by Guetens.  He was stopped, but
John Barron was there to put in the rebound for the eventual game-winner
at 9:11.  That goal seemed to spark Merrimack as both Rob Atkinson and
Dan Gravelle had consecutive point-blank shots just seconds after the
center-ice faceoff, and after Guetens made the save, Dartmouth came up
ice and Rob Kerr let go a blast from the left circle that D'Amore made
a glove save on.  Both goalies had solid games and really can't be faulted
on any of the goals they allowed.  Barron's goal stood up through a
final minute Dartmouth attack with Guetens on the bench for an extra
skater, and Merrimack escaped with the win.
 
EPILOGUE
Dartmouth played very well in coming back after an early Merrimack
barrage that made it seem as if the ice was tilted towards Guetens and
but for a few bounces could have won the game.  For Merrimack, it wasn't
pretty, but just getting another win under the team's belt has to be
an uplifter (I know, cliche after cliche) heading into the final two
games before the break.  Merrimack hosts Army Friday and then BU next
Tuesday.  Dartmouth breaks for exams and will play at BU Dec 20 before
hosting the Auld Lang Syne Tourney Dec 28-29.
 
ARMY WINS
In the only other action involving a DivI team this evening, Army hosted
and beat DivIII Scranton, 11-2.  The Cadets roared out to a 4-1 lead
after one and 8-2 after two, as they outshot Scranton 54-12.  Ross Erzar
had a hat trick, and Rick Berube added 1-2--3 while Chad Sundem had
2-1--3.  Thanks to Army SID Mike Albright for faxing us the box tonight.
Army is 6-7-0 overall and plays at Merrimack Friday.