NORTHFIELD, Vt. -Rico Piatelli and Eric
Lauriault each scored two goals apiece, and three other Cadets
tallied markers as the fifth-ranked Norwich University men's ice
hockey team skated to a 7-2 victory over No. 3 Manhattanville in an
NCAA quarterfinal game Saturday evening at Kreitzberg Arena.
The victory advances the Cadets (23-6-0) to the NCAA Frozen
Four, which will be played at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid,
N.Y., for the first time since 2004. It also means that NU is just
two more wins away from capturing its third NCAA National
Championship in school history. Norwich's opponent in the national
semifinals will be No. 1 ranked St. Norbert. The game will be
played at 2:30 p.m., and live audio of the contest will be
available on the radio (WDEV: AM-550, FM-96.1), and on the internet
(http://www.cadetsradio.com/).
Manhattanville (18-7-3) opened the scoring at the 2:28 mark of
the first period when Chris Trafford netted his team-leading 25th
goal of the season. Jason Murfitt started the play when he won a
faceoff cleanly back to Trafford, who drilled it past Norwich
goaltender David Thompson to give the Valiants an early 1-0 lead.
Thompson actually got his glove on the puck, but he was unable to
stop it.
Norwich tied the game midway through the first period when Chad
Anderson netted his 11th goal of the season at the 10:19 mark.
Anderson's tally was a hard slapshot from the blueline that beat
Manhattanville goalie Steve Parry high. The goal, which was
unassisted, whipped the Kreitzberg Arena crowd into a frenzy, and
tied the score at 1-1.
Norwich held an 11-6 edge in shots during the first period, but
the score remained tied as it entered the second 20 minutes.
The Cadets broke the game wide open with three goals in a span
of 3:05 late in the second period. The offensive outburst gave NU a
commanding 4-1 lead heading into the final stanza. Nikita Kashirsky
started the rally with his 20th goal of the year at the 16:29 mark
off assists from Piatelli and Raphael Robitaille. The goal gave the
Cadets their first lead of the game at 2-1.
Less than a minute later, Craig Serino scored on a rebound to
put the Cadets on top 3-1 at the 17:22 mark. Anderson fired the
initial shot at the net, and the rebound bounced right to Serino,
who buried it into the net. Anderson and Nick DelGallo were each
credited with assists on the goal, which was Serino's fourth of the
season. Piatelli closed out the scoring run with his 10th goal of
the year off assists from Kashirsky and Robitaille at 19:22 of the
second.
Norwich outshot Manhattanville, 13-9, in the second period en
route to opening up the 4-1 edge.
Lauriault upped NU's advantage to 5-1 just 19 second into the
third period when he scored an unassisted goal. Manhattanville drew
to within 5-2 just over one minute later when Mike Ruberto netted
his ninth goal of the season at the 1:33 mark.
Lauriault scored his second goal of the period, and 15th of the
season, on the power play at 7:59 of the third off assists from
Sylvain Messier and Eric Tallent. Piatelli closed out the scoring
at the 13:17 mark when he scored a power play goal of his own. The
marker, Piatelli's 11th of the season, came off assists from
Kashirsky and Robitaille.
Thompson made 21 saves in goal for the Cadets as the sophomore
improves to 15-2-0 on the year.
Norwich's 23 victories are the most in a season since the
2003-04 Cadets compiled a 24-4-0 overall record.
