Two Sean Chisolm goals and a three-goal third period helped the fifth-seeded Dartmouth Big Green eliminate the 12^th-seeded St. Lawrence University men's hockey team from the ECAC postseason Saturday night, as they dealt the Saints a 6-2 loss in their Opening Round contest at Thompson Arena in Hanover, N.H.

The defeat means it is the end of the road for St. Lawrence in the 2024-25 season, as the one-game playoff propelled the host Big Green into the ECAC Quarterfinals.

The home team came out strong in the contest testing Mason Kucenski early. The sophomore netminder made a pair of strong saves in the first two minutes to stave off the Big Green. However, at the 17:15 mark, Sean Chisholm fired a shot that trickled in to give Dartmouth a 1-0 lead.

St. Lawrence got some offense going shortly after getting a good look from Tyler Cristall. The momentum caused the Big Green to take a penalty, putting the Saints on the power play. The Saints came up empty but went on another man advantage in the following moments. Isaac Tremblay nearly tied the game on the power play, but the chance was cut eight seconds short when the Scarlet and Brown were tagged with a penalty.

Less than halfway through the penalty kill the Saints were tasked with a 5-on-3 for 1:03 seconds. Some good saves from Kucenski and a shot off the post killed off both power plays returning the game to even strength.

St. Lawrence would have to end the first on their third kill of the period when they were tagged with a penalty at 1:27.

After killing off the remainder of the penalty to begin the second, the Saints got to work offensively. Chances from senior captain Philippe Chapleau and Gunnar Thoreson turned play around and St. Lawrence cashed in moments later. A combination of passes from Cristall and Mason Waite led Greg Lapointe on a rush up the wing. The senior rifled a wrister over the shoulder of Emmett Croteau to tie the game at 1-1.

Dartmouth leaned in following the goal and got some good chances. Kucenski made another two great saves for the Saints but much like the first period the levee broke. A turnover led to a 2-on-0 where Chisholm would score his second goal to make it 2-1. The Big Green doubled their lead later in the period when an Eric Charpentier shot pinballed past the netminder to make it 3-1.

Before the end of the second, the Big Green took a penalty to put the Saints on the power play and they would cash in. Cristall was a catalyst on the play once again finding a streaking Nicholas Beneteau through the neutral zone. The first-year found Felikss Gavars in the slot, who ripped a shot top shelf through a screen to make the score 3-2 at the break.

Early in the third, Dartmouth re-gained their two-goal advantage, scoring in the first three minutes. A shot from the point by Steven Townley was initially saved by Kucenski but the rebound was jammed home by Braiden Dorfman to regain their two-goal lead.

Jake Lammens and Waite had a pair of good chances through the middle portion of the period but were unable to cut into the deficit.

As the clock ticked down on the third period, the Saints attempted to get Mason Kucenski pulled inside the five-minute mark, but Dartmouth kept the puck hemmed in the Saints' end until the 2:17 mark. That's when the Big Green iced it, giving the Saints a chance to pull the netminder on an attacking zone draw for a late-game push with the season on the line.

St. Lawrence pressed with chances until the final minute of play, unable to put a puck over the goal line. With 27 seconds remaining, Charpentier grabbed hold of the puck in his own corner and took a long-range shot to seal the deal with an empty net goal. Nate Morgan then added a second empty net tally at 19:54.

St. Lawrence finishes the season with an overall record of 9-24-2.