NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Rico Piatelli scored twice,
and Rick Cleaver, Eric Lauriault and Eric Tallent each netted goals
of their own as the No. 9-ranked Norwich men's hockey team defeated
visiting Wesleyan, 5-1, in an ECAC-NESCAC interlock game Saturday
afternoon at Kreitzberg Arena.
Norwich (14-3-0 (10-1-0 ECAC East) jumped all over Wesleyan,
scoring three goals in the first period. Piatelli got the offense
started with his fifth goal of the season at the 2:21 mark to stake
the Cadets to a 1-0 lead. Lauriault netted his third goal of the
weekend, and seventh of the season, at the 9:59 mark to put NU on
top, 2-0. Tallent rounded out the first period scoring with his
first goal of the year at the 12:19 mark.
The Cadets fired just six shots on goal in the first stanza, but
three of them found the back of the net. Wesleyan managed just four
shots on goal in the frame.
Norwich outshot Wesleyan, 11-8, in the second period, but
neither team was able to score in the middle frame, and the game
entered the final 20 minutes with the Cadets leading, 3-0.
Wesleyan (5-7-1, 3-5-1 NESCAC) finally got on the scoreboard at
the 3:44 mark of the third period as David Layne scored.
Any chance of a comeback bid was immediately squelched as
Cleaver snapped off his team-leading 17th goal of the season just
15 seconds later at the 3:59 mark. The goal, which was set up
beautifully by linemate D.J. Fimiani, was the 78th of Cleaver's
career, and moves the senior forward into 10th place on NU's
all-time goals list.
Piatelli closed out the scoring at the 15:42 mark with his sixth
goal of the season.
David Thompson made 13 saves to earn the victory between the
pipes for Norwich. The sophomore improves to 9-1-0 on the year.
Norwich outshot Wesleyan, 31-14, for the game.
Norwich continues its four-game homestand on Feb. 1-2, when the
Cadets host St. Anselm and New England College at Kreitzberg Arena.
Both games can be heard on the radio (WDEV: AM-550, FM-96.1), and
on the internet (http://www.cadetsradio.com), with
George Commo calling the action.
