BURLINGTON, Vt. - Dartmouth came from behind and scored three times in the second period to defeat Vermont 4-2 in non-conference action at Gutterson Fieldhouse Wednesday night.
Danielle Rancourt opened the scoring for the Catamounts 13:03 into the first period. On the forecheck Kellie Dineen pressured a Dartmouth defender to blindly throw a pass on her backhand, Rancourt picked up the puck at the left circle, walked in and labeled a wrist shot to the top corner for her fifth goal of the season.
The Big Green responded just 23 seconds later. Dartmouth entered the Vermont zone on a three-on-one, Laura Stacey attempted a cross-crease pass and the puck deflected off a Catamount defenseman in front and past Vermont goaltender Roxanne Douville.
Just 23 seconds into the second period the Catamounts reestablished a one-goal lead. Amanda Pelkey hit a cutting Meghan Huertas with a perfect pass in the slot and Huertas one-timed it past Dartmouth goaltender Lindsay Holdcroft for her eighth goal of the season.
Once again the Big Green responded quickly, with a Vermont defender injured on the play Lindsey Allen took advantage and walked in alone on Douville and beat her with a quick shot along the ice. Allen's fifth goal of the season knotted the score at two just 1:06 after Vermont's second goal.
Just under two minutes later the Big Green took the lead for the first time. Allen corralled a loose puck in the Vermont zone and on an abbreviated two-on-one she found Ailish Forfar who beat Douville with a wrist shot under her arm for her fourth goal of the season.
The Big Green closed out the scoring at the 12:53 mark of the second period. Stacey and Karlee Odland entered the Vermont zone on another odd-man rush, Stacey fed Odland with a perfect pass and she tapped in her third goal of the season.
Holdcroft made 22 saves to earn her eighth win of the season. Douville made 37 saves for Vermont, it was the ninth time this season she has made 30 or more saves.
"Dartmouth played well and made us pay for our mistakes," said head coach Jim Plumer. "I thought our first and third periods were strong but in the second we made a series of crucial errors that cost us. We have to get back to being a smart team that plays a full 60 minutes."
Vermont returns to conference play this weekend, as they travel to Chestnut Hill to face the third ranked Boston College Eagles in a single game Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
The Catamounts are undefeated in their last five Hockey East contests, their best streak in Division I history. Vermont is 4-3-2 in conference this season, they are two points shy of the 12 points it compiled two years ago, its highest point total in a Hockey East campaign.