Dartmouth women’s hockey edges RPI in overtime

HANOVER, N.H. – The Dartmouth women’s hockey team won its third game of the week, defeating Rensselaer, 2-1, in overtime at Thompson Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Big Green are now 5-12-0 and 3-8-0 in ECAC Hockey play, while the Engineers dip to 8-15-1 and 5-7-0.

Just over a minute into the overtime period, senior Kennedy Ottenbreit ended the game in dramatic fashion, shooting to the right when netminder Lovisa Selander was covering her left post after saving two shots just before. Sophomores Alyssa Baker and Tess Bracken were credited with the assists.

The game got off to a quick start when RPI got on the board just 50 seconds in. A backhander by Laura Horwood found its way into the far corner of the net to give the Engineers an early one-goal lead.

Dartmouth scored 48 second into the second period to tied the game at 1-1. With the puck in Engineer territory, Lopez intercepted a pass and fired a rocket to the left to tie the game. The Big Green attempted to end the period the way they started – with a goal – but senior Devon Moir’s impressive attempt with three seconds left went wide.

Eight minutes into the third, Rombaut wrapped around the net and, when her shot was saved by Selander, senior Eleni Tebano tried her hand at pocketing the rebound, but the goalie was able to make another save. RPI came alive in the third and outshot Dartmouth, 11-8, but neither team could make it past the other goaltender and the game went to overtime.

The five-minute overtime period proved to be a lot shorter than that. Fifty-six seconds in, Horwood – RPI’s top scorer – got two minutes for boarding, which left her team playing a man down with four minutes to go in overtime. Thirteen seconds later, Bracken took a shot, which was saved and rebounded to Baker, whose shot was also saved and deflected. The third time, Selander was not so lucky, and Ottenbreit swept in and put the puck in the corner corner to win the game.

Rensselaer is back in action next weekend, when it plays a home-and-home series with Union, beginning on Friday in Schenectady (6pm).