NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Nikita Kashirsky scored the
game-winning goal with 40 seconds remaining in the third period to
lift the 11th-ranked Norwich men's ice hockey team past Amherst,
3-2, on Saturday afternoon in front of 1,500 fans at Kreitzberg
Arena.
The Cadets, who improve to 4-2-0 (3-1-0 ECAC East), squandered a
2-0 third period lead before rallying to win the game in the
closing minute. The Lord Jeffs (3-2-1, 2-1-1 NESCAC) did not
produce much offense through the first two periods, but came alive
in the third, tying the game at the 8:38 mark of the period.
Just when it looked as though the game would go into overtime,
Kashirsky took a pass near center ice, beat his defender to the
right side of the net and flipped the puck past Amherst goaltender
Cole Anderson to send the Kreitzberg Arena crowd into a frenzy.
Norwich appeared to be in control of the game, leading 2-0 early
in the third period after Rick Cleaver scored a power play goal
less than one minute into the stanza.
To its credit, Amherst did not go away quietly, as the Lord
Jeffs came back with a power play goal of their own at the 2:57
mark, before netting the equalizer just minutes later.
Norwich scored the only goal of the first period at the 11:05
mark when senior defenseman Phil Sbrocchi blasted the puck past
Amherst goaltender Cole Anderson from the right point on the power
play. Sbrcochi's goal was set up by passes from Rick Cleaver and
Eric Ouellette. Norwich enjoyed several additional scoring chances
in the first stanza, as the Cadets put 11 shots on goal in the
period.
After a scoreless second period, the action started heating up
in the third stanza as both teams scored twice.
David Thompson earned the victory for NU between the pipes,
turning away 24 of the 26 shots that he faced. Norwich outshot
Amherst, 35-26.
Norwich resumes its seven-game homestand on Tuesday, Dec. 4,
when the Cadets host St. Michael's College at Kreitzberg Arena at 7
p.m. The game can be heard on the radio (WDEV: AM-550, FM-96.1) or
on the internet (http://www.cadetsradio.com/),
with George Commo handling play-by-play duties.
