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Dartmouth
Men's Hockey, Leroux Shut Out Dartmouth 3-0
November 06, 2004 | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 6, 2004
Final Stats
Hanover, N.H. - Junior Eric Leroux made 39 saves as the Princeton men's hockey team shut out Dartmouth 3-0 Saturday night in front of a sold out crowd at Thompson Arena. Princeton picked up its first win of the season and first-year head coach Guy Gadowsky posted his first win behind the Princeton bench.
The first period saw both goaltenders put on a show. Leroux made eight saves and Dartmouth's Dan Yacey stopped 13 Tiger shots to leave the game scoreless after a period. Princeton had a great chance early in the game when a turnover put sophomore Darroll Powe all alone in front but he could not get all he wanted on the shot as Yacey handled it. Junior Brian Carthas also had a great chance but a diving block by John Ostapyk kept the puck out of the net and Princeton off the scoreboard. Dartmouth's best scoring chance came when Nathan Szymanski got behind the defense and in on Leroux but he mishandled the puck and Leroux came out and covered it before he could do anything with it.
In the second period it was Dartmouth that ousthot Princeton, but Princeton outscored Dartmouth. The goal came at the 5:00 mark of the period when junior Dustin Sproat picked off a poor Dartmouth passing attempt and found himself all alone on Yacey. Sproat faked to his backhand and went to the forehand and slid under Yacey as he dove to cover the far side of the goal. Sproat's goal was his first of the season and the 11th of his career.
Dartmouth had 19 shots in the period but Leroux made all 19 saves, including several game saving stops. Most of the shots were from the outside as the Tiger defense did a strong job of clearing out the rebounds.
Both goalies kept goals off the scoreboard in the third period as Yacey and Leroux traded spectacular saves. Dartmouth's best chance to knot the game up came at 11:41 when David Jones ripped a shot off the post that bounced under Leroux who covered it up.
Leroux's saves set the scene for Princeton to take a 2-0 lead late in the game. Sophomore Grant Goeckner-Zoeller was sprung on a pass by senior Luc Paquin. The Dartmouth defenseman forced him to the corner where he ripped a shot to the net. Yacey made the save but the puck caromed off a Dartmouth game into the net as Princeton took a 2-0 lead on Goeckner-Zoeller's second of the season. Junior Patrick Neundorfer assisted on the goal at 16:18.
Princeton completed the game with a shorthanded empty net goal late in the game off the stick of Carthas at 18:32.
Leroux made 39 saves to post his first win of the season and the third shutout of his career. Yacey stopped 30 shots in the loss.
Princeton returns to action Friday night at Brown.