Box Score

HANOVER, N.H. - Senior Allison Wright scored the game-winner and sophomore Sonja van der Bliek made 45 saves to lead the Rensselaer women's hockey team to a 2-1 victory at Dartmouth in ECAC Hockey action.  The win, which was the first-ever for the Engineers over the Big Green, moves RPI to 9-10-5 overall and 6-4-3 in conference play.  Dartmouth is now 6-11-2 and 4-9-1 in ECAC Hockey.

The game, which marked the 10th meeting of the two schools, was also the first contest between Rensselaer and Dartmouth since the teams met in last season's ECAC Hockey Championship Game.  The Big Green won that contest by a 6-1 margin and held an 8-0-1 advantage over the Engineers prior to tonight's game.

Tied 1-1 after two periods of play, the Engineers came out in the third period on the power play advantage, but found themselves unable to convert.  Wright came through at 8:51 to give RPI its first lead of the game, scoring past Mariel Lacina for the 2-1 advantage.  Senior Allysen Weidner and junior Kendra Dunlop were credited with the assists on the goal.

Dartmouth tried to even things up late in the game, but van der Bliek held strong between the pipes, stopping eight shots to preserve the victory.  She also had 22 saves in the first period and 15 in the second stanza, coming just three shots shy of her career mark (48), which she posted in last year's ECAC Hockey Semifinals victory at Harvard. Lacina finished with 16 saves for Dartmouth.

Neither team could capitalize in the opening stanza as Dartmouth held a lopsided 22-5 edge in the period's shots.  The Big Green got thing started in the second period as Alysa Boehm connected on a pass from Sally Komarek at 14:10 for the tally past van der Bliek.

Rensselaer battled back late in the frame when Weidner converted a pass from Dunlop at 18:01 to make it a 1-1 game heading into the third period.

Both teams had trouble connecting on power play advantages as Dartmouth went 0 for 5, while the Engineers were 0 for 6.

The Big Green return to action on Saturday when they host Union at Thompson Arena (4pm).  RPI is also on the ice tomorrow, heading to Bright Hockey Center to face Harvard (4pm).