Box
Score
NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Mason Graddock scored a goal
and added an assist to help lift No. 6 Middlebury past 12th-ranked
Norwich, 4-2, Saturday afternoon in an ECAC East-NESCAC Interlock
men's ice hockey game at Kreitzberg Arena.
Middlebury (15-4-1, 12-2-1 NESCAC) struck first at 5:58 of the
first period as Artie Mittnacht scored his second goal of the
season. Mittnacht won a faceoff to the left of Norwich goaltender
Ryan Klingensmith, and fired a hard wrist shot that found the top
part of the net. The Panthers made it 2-0 later in the first period
as Charles Nerbak tallied a power play goal at the 15:33 mark. Mack
Cummins started the play when he unleashed a shot from the right
point. Cummins' shot was deflected over to Graddock, who slipped a
pass in front to Nerbak for his second goal of the year.
Norwich outshot Middlebury 8-6 in the first period, but the
Cadets were unable to get anything past Panther goaltender John
Yanchek. NU had a couple of good scoring opportunities in the
opening stanza, but the Cadets were stymied throughout the period.
Norwich (11-6-3, 9-4-2 ECAC East) got on the scoreboard early in
the second period as Nikita Kashirsky ripped a hard shot past
Yanchek to make it 2-1 at the 1:15 mark. D.J. Fimiani and Steve
Coon picked up assists on the goal, which was Kashirsky's
team-leading 13th of the season
Middlebury reclaimed its two-goal lead at the 8:24 mark of the
second period when Graddock scored a power play goal. Nerbak and
Ken Suchoski were credited with assists on the marker, which was
Graddock's eighth of the year. The Panthers extended their lead to
4-1 late in the second stanza when Chaz Svoboda converted on a
two-on-one breakaway. Trevor Dodds started the play when he carried
the puck into the Norwich zone and put a shot on Klingensmith.
Klingensmith was able to save that attempt, but the rebound kicked
out to Svoboda, who buried it into the gaping net.
Middlebury held a 13-9 edge in shots in the middle frame, and
seemed to control the majority of the play.
Norwich brought the pressure in the third period, outshooting
Middlebury 10-6 in the stanza. The Cadets' efforts were rewarded at
the 8:16 mark when Eric Tallent scored on the power play. The goal,
which came off a rebound from a Kashirsky shot, was the fourth of
the season for Tallent.
The Cadets had a handful of promising scoring opportunities down
the stretch, but Yanchek stood tall in the Middlebury net to earn
the victory. The freshman net minder made 25 saves to improve to
11-1-0 on the season. Klingensmith made just 15 saves on 19 shots
in the loss. David Thompson came on after the Panthers' fourth goal
and stopped all six shots that he faced.
Norwich went 1-for-4 on the power play, while Middlebury was
2-for-6 on the man advantage.
Norwich will return to action on Friday, Feb. 13, when the
Cadets travel to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., to take on ECAC East rival
Skidmore. Faceoff for Friday night's tussle is set for 7 p.m. A
live audio broadcast of the game will be available live on the
radio (WDEV: FM-96.1/AM-550), and on the internet (www.cadetsradio.com).
