HANOVER — Dartmouth College senior Steven Townley’s shot clattered off the left post and into the net to reclaim a one-goal advantage over No. 6 Cornell late in the third period on Friday. Townley later said he didn’t even look at the net before firing off what proved to be the game-winning goal.

The Big Red arrived in Hanover attempting to extend their unbeaten streak over the Big Green, the nation’s 17th-ranked squad, to nine games. But Townley’s tally secured the 4-3 win for Dartmouth, the program’s first victory over Cornell since December 2019.

“Every guy on the ice, and even the shift before, was just working and led to a turnover,” said Townley, the former Woodstock High standout whose score Friday marked his second in as many games. “CJ Foley made a great play at the blue line, gave it to me and I just shot it.”

A crowd of 2,801 filled Thompson Arena ahead of the top-20 ECAC matchup. Dartmouth coach Reid Cashman, now in his fourth season leading the program, said his squad fed off the fans’ energy, especially as legs began to tire in a back-and-forth final frame.

The two squads played a scoreless opening 20 minutes, as Big Green sophomore netminder Roan Clarke made 11 of his 29 total saves in the game. Dartmouth opened the scoring on a power play less than three minutes into the second period courtesy of senior Sean Chisholm off the feed from junior Cooper Flinton, who managed to slide the puck to Chisholm as he was falling to the ice.

Cornell would find an equalizer just under 10 minutes later. Kyle Penney capitalized on an errant pass in Dartmouth’s defensive zone to score an unassisted, shorthanded goal to level the score, 1-1. The Big Green, still with 29 seconds left on their power play, quickly reclaimed the lead off the stick of freshman Hayden Stavroff.

As the third period began, it was hard not to think about the Big Red’s five-goal, third-period comeback in the ECAC tournament semifinals in Lake Placid, N.Y., last season to end the Big Green’s playoff hopes. Could Cornell muster another furious onslaught against Cashman’s squad?

It certainly tried.

Eighty seconds into the final stanza, Penney bagged his second goal of the game, tying the score at 2-2. But Dartmouth, as it did all night, had a response. Midway through the period, senior John Fusco’s slapshot snuck past Big Red netminder Ian Shane, who made 19 saves on the night.

After Cornell equalized for a third time three short minutes later, it was Tenney’s turn to get on the scoresheet, the captain’s goal proving to be the game’s deciding tally.

Dartmouth’s ability to continually answer anytime Cornell leveled the score is a testament to the character within the team, Cashman said. The timely production of the team’s captains, Chisholm and Townley, is an added bonus.

“The nice thing about this group is they’re leaders outside of the rink,” said Cashman, praising his two captains. “They’re leaders in the classroom, but now they’re also producing. Like, (Chisholm) has the five goals, Townley’s been great on the (penalty kill), so now you’ve got something special.”

Dartmouth, which began the weekend 4-0-0, its best start since the 1957-58 season, moved to 5-0-1 following a 4-4 tie with Colgate on Saturday.

The Big Green have a bye this weekend before hitting the road to close November with a game in Chestnut Hill, Mass., against Boston College before beginning December in Gutterson Field House at Vermont.

Dartmouth will face Cornell in a rematch on Jan. 25 in Ithaca, N.Y., looking to complete a regular-season sweep of the Big Red for the first time since the 2014-15 season.

“It just feels good to beat such a great team,” said Townley, dispelling any notion that the Big Green were searching for revenge following their postseason exit at the hands of Cornell last March. “I think it’s different if we see (Cornell) in the playoffs, like that would be an extra, great feeling to knock them out. But it’s just a regular-season game, looking for three points, and we came away with it tonight.”

Alex Cervantes can be reached at acervantes@vnews.com or 603-727-7302.