NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Nikita Kashirsky and Nick DelGallo each netted two goals apiece to lead the 11th-ranked Norwich men's ice hockey team past Hamilton, 9-3, Friday evening in front of 2,100 spectators in the Cadets' home opener at Kreitzberg Arena.

Kashirsky put Norwich (3-2-0, 2-1-0 ECAC East) on top with his first tally of the game, scoring on a four-on-four situation to give the Cadets a 1-0 lead at the 9:47 mark of the first period. Less than five minutes later, Craig Serino made it 2-0 when he scored off of a series of nice passes from Nick Quagliani and Eric Tallent. Kashirsky scored his second goal of the period with just over one minute to play in the stanza to give NU a commanding 3-0 lead heading into the middle period.

Hamilton (1-3-1, 0-2-1 NESCAC) finally got on the scoreboard at the 11:27 mark of the second when Nate Miller scored a power play goal. Norwich put to rest any chance of a Continentals' comeback moments later, however as the Cadets scored two goals in a span of 35 seconds. C.J. Viso kick-started the spurt with an unassisted goal at the 16:11 mark, and Chad Anderson scored at the 16:46 mark as NU took a 5-1 lead into the final period.

Raphael Robitaille got into the scoring column just one minute into the third period when he scored to push NU's lead to 6-1. Following a Hamilton goal, Norwich's Rick Cleaver scored an even strength goal to make the score 7-2 at the 6:09 mark. DelGallo potted the first of his two power play goals at the 9:24 mark, and the freshman added his second at the 17:36 mark.

NU outshot Hamilton, 43-23. Norwich converted 3-of-7 power play opportunities on the night, while Hamilton scored on 2-of-9 chances.

Norwich will close out the weekend with a home game versus Amhest on Saturday afternoon. Faceoff from Kreitzberg Arena is slated for 4 p.m., and the contest can be heard on the radio (WDEV: AM-550, FM-96.1) or on the internet (www.cadetsradio.com).