Box Score 

NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Sy Nutkevitch scored  the game-winning goal in the sixth round of the shootout, and Trevor O'Neill came up with a big save on Steven Schroeder's ensuing attempt as Potsdam upended No 3-ranked Norwich to claim the 11th annual Times Argus Invitational Saturday evening at Kreitzberg Arena.

The Bears won the shootout, 3-2, with Nutkevitch scoring twice during the six-round affair. If Schroeder had been able to convert his shot in the sixth round, the shootout would have been extended. The game will officially be recorded as a 4-4 tie.

Potsdam (6-5-2) opened the scoring midway through the opening period when Nick Leigh received a pass from Todd Hosmer and blasted a shot from the left-hand faceoff circle and past Norwich freshman G Alex Dubois at the 10:25 mark.

Norwich (8-0-2) answered in the closing seconds of the first period when freshman F Kyle Thomas corralled a long up-ice pass from senior D Eric Tallent near the Potsdam blueline, and beat two defenders before slipping a backhand shot past O'Neill with less than one second showing on the clock. The goal, which was Thomas' seventh of the year, was assisted by Tallent and Schroeder.

The Cadets held a 13-6 edge in shots during a very entertaining opening 20 minutes of hockey.

Norwich took its first lead of the game early in the second period when sophomore F Tim Houston banged home a rebound for his second goal of the season. The marker, which came at the 2:31 mark of the frame, was assisted by freshman F Pier-Oliver Cotnoir. Cotnoir's original shot from the slot area was saved by O'Neill, but the rebound found Houston's stick, and the second-year forward slipped it into the goal to put the Cadets on top 2-1.

NU had to kill off several penalties over the remainder of the second period, including an extended two-man advantage. The Cadets' defense was up to the task, and Dubois made several key stops to keep Norwich in front.

Norwich outshot Potsdam 12-8 during the second period, despite being short-handed for much of the stanza.

Cotnoir scored his third goal of the season early in the third period to give the Cadets a 3-1 advantage. The goal, which was assisted by Tallent, came at the 2:28 mark.

Potsdam pulled to within 3-2 at the 12:24 mark when Colin MacLennan scored a short-handed goal off a feed from Spencer Noyes.

The Cadets answered four minutes later when freshman F Blake Forkey tallied his team-leading eighth goal of the year off passes from sophomore F Emmond Bell and junior F Chad Anderson. The goal, which came on the power play, gave Norwich a 4-2 lead at the 16:41 mark.

Potsdam came roaring back, though, scoring two goals in a span of 41 seconds to knot the score at 4-4 and force overtime. Hosmer made it 4-3 at the 17:17 mark of the third when he converted a pass from Matt Rhymer. Then, 41 seconds later, Keven MacLellan tied it up when he scored off assists from Connor Treacy and Patrick Choules at the 17:58 mark.

Potsdam held an 11-8 edge in shots during the third period, as the Bears brought a lot of pressure against Dubois.

Neither team was able to score during the five-minute overtime period, and the game moved into the shootout.

Nutkevitch and Schroeder both scored in the first round of the shootout, and Colin MacLellan and Forkey followed suit in the second round. Neither team scored in rounds three, four or five, and the shootout went into sudden victory mode. Nutkevitch then came through for the second time, putting the pressure squarely on Schroeder's shoulders. The freshman forward's shot was saved by O'Neill, though, and the Bears spilled onto the ice to congratulate their goaltender.

O'Neill, who was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, made 33 saves during the game. Dubois, meanwhile, stopped 23 shots for the Cadets.

Leigh and Hosmer represented Potsdam on the all-tournament team, while Forkey, Bell and Anderson were the three Norwich players named to the all-tournament team. New England College's Johan Granath rounded out the all-tournament team.

Norwich will return to action on Tuesday, Jan. 5, when the Cadets close out their nine-game homestand against Plattsburgh State. The game between the two nationally-ranked powers, will be begin at 7 p.m. Live videostream coverage will be available via Northeast Sports Network (www.nsnsports.net) and live audio coverage will be available on WDEV (AM 550/FM 96.1) and on Cadets Radio (www.cadetsradio.com).