Box Score / Highlights

TROY, N.Y. – In front of a national audience watching on the NBC Sports Network, the Dartmouth men's hockey team held off a fevered Rensselaer attack late in the third period to take Friday night's ECAC Hockey game, 4-3 at Houston Field House.

An offensive outburst midway through the second period was the difference for the Big Green (7-5-2, 4-3-1 ECAC Hockey) as the visitors scored three times in six minutes to make it a 4-1 game. The Engineers came right back with two quick goals in the period but could not get the equalizer.

Dartmouth sophomore goaltender Cab Morris made 28 saves in earning his third win in just four starts this season (3-0-1), including two huge saves midway through the final frame to preserve the victory. Junior Bryce Merriam finished with 23 on the other end.

The Engineers' (3-16, 1-7 ECAC Hockey) Joel Malchuck scored 12:31 into the first period on a deflection of a Bo Dolan shot to give the home team its only lead of the game, an edge that lasted for just over five minutes.

With a delayed penalty call, Morris headed for the bench, but never got there as freshman Brandon McNally buried a rebound at the top of the circle. Tyler Sikura and junior Dustin Walsh were credited with assists after taking several whacks at the puck in the slot.

That's how it would remain until midway through the second period when the Dartmouth offense came on strong. Robinson scored his sixth of the season just four seconds into the team's third power play of the game. Matt Lindblad won the faceoff back to captain Mike Keenan, who made a pass to his defensive partner at the point for a low shot into traffic. Robinson, stationed in the slot, tipped the shot into the lower left corner passed the outstretched right pad of Merriam in the RPI goal.

Four-and-half minutes later, junior Alex Goodship picked up second goal  on a nice backhand move to finish a 2-on-1 break. Coming in on goal on a 2-on-1 rush with Jason Bourgea, Goodship cut to the middle and put a shot off in the inside of the defender's skate that redirected into the net.

Just 1:15 later, freshman defender Rick Pinkston scored the first goal of his collegiate career on a shot from the left point that found its way through traffic and into the back of the net. Lindblad once again won a key offensive zone faceoff back to the point for Pinkston to handle.

That three-goal cushion didn't last long as two penalties gave RPI a 5-on-3 power play. The Engineers' Ryan Haggerty scored on a rebound of a Brock Higgs shot at 16:31. Just 21 seconds later, Matt Tinordi, who assisted on the first goal of the game, had the puck carom off his skate and into the back of the net to pull RPI to within one. Marty O'Grady and Nick Bailen, who also had a helper on Haggerty's goal, earned the assists.

With RPI pressuring midway through the third period, Morris came up with a highlight-reel save on C.J. Lee for the second time in the period. Both times, Lee waited at the far post, looking for a one-timer and both times, Morris slid to his right to make glove saves, the second of which saw came on a dive with the netmouth gapping.

Rensselaer pulled its goalie for the final 1:28, but Morris and the Dartmouth defense stood tall in the waning seconds to hold on for the 4-3 victory.