Box Score 

NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Senior D Eric Tallent scored the game-winning goal with five minutes remaining to help the No. 2-ranked Norwich University men's ice hockey team beat Trinity College, 7-4, in an entertaining ECAC East-NESCAC Interlock game Saturday afternoon at Kreitzberg Arena.

Norwich and Trinity skated into the third period tied at 4-4, and the game remained deadlocked until the 15:00 mark when Tallent scored a power play goal. Tallent's marker, his sixth of the season, was assisted by freshman F Scott Schroeder and senior D Steve Coon.

Freshman F Colin Mulvey added an insurance goal less than two minutes later when he netted his eighth tally of the season off feeds from sophomore F Tim Houston and senior F Craig Serino at the 16:44 mark. Freshman F Kyle Thomas capped the scoring at the 19:02 mark when he added an empty-net goal.

The Cadets (14-0-3, 10-0-1 ECAC East) broke on top 1-0 at the 8:10 mark of the first period when freshman F Mark Collins potted his first career goal. Houston started the play when he gathered the puck in the right corner. The second-year forward then moved it out to sophomore D Pasha Kozhokin at the right point. Kozhokin fired a shot that Collins redirected past Trinity G Wesley Vesprini to give the Cadets the early lead.

Norwich made it 2-0 at the 12:55 mark of the first period when freshman F Blake Forkey intercepted a pass at the Trinity blueline and fed junior F Chad Anderson, who one-timed a wrist shot past Vesprini.

The Bantams (8-5-2, 4-3-2 NESCAC) got on the scoreboard later in the first period when Zachary Lombardi netted a power play goal. Matthew Quigely won a faceoff to the right of Norwich senior G Ryan Klingensmith and Lombardi snapped a shot past the Cadets' net minder to make it 2-1.

Trinity had a golden opportunity to tie the score at 2-all with 10 seconds to play in the first period after the Bantams' Adam Houli was dragged down by Coon and was awarded a penalty shot. Klingensmith stayed with Houli all the way, though, and denied Trinity's leading scorer with a nice pad save.

Trinity got its offense cranked up early in the second period, scoring two goals in a span of 24 seconds to take a 3-2 lead. Joe Tierney struck first, scoring off a pass from Jeff Menard at the 4:43 mark. Then, Michael DiCenso put the Bantams on top 3-2 when he scored off assists from Quigely and Sebastian Kimmel at the 5:07 mark.

The Bantams' lead was short-lived, though, as Norwich netted the equalizer just 44 seconds later on junior D Greg Eskedjian's fourth goal of the season. Schroeder and Thomas were credited with assists on the marker, which came at the 5:51 mark.

The Cadets moved in front 4-3 less than two minutes later when sophomore D Shawn Baker scored off feeds from freshman F Pier-Oliver Cotnoir and Mulvey at the 7:27 mark.

Trinity would not go quietly, however, as Joe Kestner scored off a pass from Derek Sandberg with just 20 seconds to play in the second period. The Bantams had a lot of momentum on their side going into the second intermission, but it was the Cadets that carried the play in the third period to garner the victory.

Norwich outshot Trinity 13-5 in the third period. The Cadets held a 35-26 edge in shots for the game. Klingensmith finished with 22 saves to earn the win for NU between the pipes. Vesprini stopped 28 shots for the Bantams.

Norwich was 1-for-3 on the power play, while Trinity went 1-for-6 on the man-advantage.

Norwich will return to action next weekend (Jan. 29-30), when the Cadets travel to Massachusetts to tangle with ECAC East foes UMass-Boston and Babson.