It took 11 minutes and 48 seconds of sudden-death overtime for the weight of decades to finally lift. When Tim Busconi’s wrist shot sailed into the top right corner of the net, the celebration that erupted in Lake Placid was more than just a game-winning moment; it was the culmination of a historic run that saw Dartmouth men’s hockey won the ECAC championship for the first time in program history.
The victory on March 21 not only secured the conference title but also ended a 44-year drought, sending the Big Green to the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament for the first time since 1980. While the subsequent first-round appearance ended in a loss to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the season remains the winningest in the program’s existence, marked by individual accolades and a fundamental shift in the team’s culture.
The triumph was punctuated by a sweep of honors. Goalie Emmett Croteau ’28 was named the tournament’s most outstanding player, while Busconi, defender CJ Foley ’27 and forward Hayden Stavroff ’28 earned All-Tournament Team selections. The architectural credit for the season went to head coach Reid Cashman, who received the Spencer Penrose Award, recognizing him as the top hockey coach in the NCAA.
Overcoming the ghosts of Lake Placid
For CJ Foley, the trip to Lake Placid, N.Y., was a return to a scene of previous frustration. Having visited the site three times, Foley and his teammates were well-aware of the heartbreak that had defined their recent history, including two consecutive semifinal exits in previous seasons.
The final against Princeton nearly mirrored those past disappointments. Dartmouth held a one-goal lead for the majority of the contest, only to see a backdoor pass slip past the defense to Princeton’s Joshua Karnish, who tied the game midway through the third period. The momentum shift was palpable, but the response from the Big Green was measured.
“It’s easy to get riled up when you lose momentum like that, but that’s not at all how we responded,” Foley said. “We were cool, calm and collected, and it was an exciting finish.”
The psychological edge was sharpened by a regular-season struggle against the Tigers. Dartmouth had not beaten Princeton since November 2024 and had suffered two close losses during the 2025-26 campaign. That history provided a necessary friction for Croteau in the crease. “I treated [the game] like every other game, but I kind of had a little bit of snarl there and did what I do best to help the team win,” Croteau said.
The anatomy of a winning season
The road to the Eastern College Athletic Conference title was not a straight line. The season began with a blistering 11-game winning streak, including marquee victories over Colgate University and No. 17 Cornell. However, the team’s composure was tested during a winter break clash with the University of New Hampshire.
After fighting back to tie the game late in regulation, Dartmouth succumbed to UNH in overtime following five unanswered shots, including the game-winner by Brendan Fitzgerald. The loss acted as a catalyst for a brief slump, where the team dropped three of their next four games.
Coach Cashman viewed the slide as a necessary corrective. He encouraged the roster to ignore the immediate noise and focus on the ultimate goal of playoff readiness. This period involved a deep dive into what Croteau described as “nerdy hockey terminologies,” as the players and staff adjusted their tactical approach both on and off the ice.
The team’s physical preparation also evolved. Foley, who attended the Boston Bruins training camp in the summer of 2025, integrated professional-grade recovery and stretching routines into the team’s warmups. “I learned little things of how to take care of your body and do a little bit of extra work that allows the body to stay healthy throughout a long season,” Foley said.
Roster evolution and individual excellence
The season’s success required Cashman to navigate significant roster turnover. The departure of key upperclassmen Cooper Flinton ’26 and Luke Haymes ’26 to the American Hockey League forced a rethink of the depth chart. Cashman described the process as a “constant evaluation,” noting that the players embraced the resulting opportunities.
| Player/Coach | Key Honor/Achievement | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Emmett Croteau | Tournament Most Outstanding Player | ’28 |
| Reid Cashman | Spencer Penrose Award (Top NCAA Coach) | N/A |
| Tim Busconi | ECAC Championship Winning Goal | ’28 |
| CJ Foley | All-Tournament Team / Captain | ’27 |
| Hayden Stavroff | All-Tournament Team / Hobey Baker Nominee | ’28 |
Beyond the championship, the program gained national visibility through the Hobey Baker Award nominations. Stavroff and Hank Cleaves ’28, alongside Foley, were nominated for the honor given to the top player in NCAA men’s hockey. Cashman highlighted the selflessness of Cleaves and Stavroff, who led the team in points while prioritizing the collective success of the unit.
A new standard for the Big Green
Despite the loss to Wisconsin-Madison in the NCAA tournament—a game that remained tied 1-1 until a third-period surge by the Badgers—the program enters the off-season with unprecedented momentum. The decision by the core roster to return rather than enter the transfer portal or sign professional contracts has provided Cashman with a rare level of continuity.
The focus has already shifted to the weight room and the development of underclassmen. Foley pointed to Colin Grable ’28 as a player to watch, noting Grable’s transition from a rotational player in his first year to a mainstay playing over 20 minutes a night this season.
“That hunger, that desire, that cohesiveness of wanting to be a part of Dartmouth hockey is what I’m most excited about,” Cashman said.
The program now looks toward the next academic year to build upon this foundation, with the first official team evaluations and training schedules expected to be released in the coming months.
Do you think Dartmouth can maintain this momentum into next season? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
