Box
Score
NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The No. 1-ranked Norwich
University men's ice hockey team continued play in the 2010 ECAC
East Tournament with a 3-1 victory over New England College in a
semifinal contest Friday afternoon at Kreitzberg Arena.
The top-seeded Cadets, who improve to 22-1-4 on the season,
advance to the tournament's championship game, which they will host
on Saturday, March 6, at 7 p.m. Norwich's opponent in that game
will be second-seeded Babson College as the Beavers shut out
fifth-seeded Skidmore, 3-0, in the evening's second semifinal
contest.
Norwich peppered NEC goaltender Aaron Harvey with 14 shots in
the first period, but the Cadets were unable to score until the
18:02 mark when freshman F Colin Mulvey netted his 10th goal of the
season off assists from senior F D.J. Fimiani and senior F Craig
Serino. Mulvey took a little hand-off pass from Fimiani and skated
into the slot area before snapping a low wrist shot past Harvey to
put Norwich on top, 1-0.
The Cadets held a 14-6 edge in shots during the opening 20
minutes, and they skated into the first intermission holding a
one-goal advantage.
New England College (11-14-1) tied the game at 1-1 late in the
second period when Jeff Armando scored on the power play. The
senior forward was camped out in front of Norwich senior G Ryan
Klingensmith, and he redirected a shot by Trevor Turner for his
12th marker of the season. Turner and Alex Muse picked up assists
on the tally, which was scored at the 15:09 mark.
Norwich regained its one-goal lead less than three minutes later
when freshman F Steven Schroeder scored off a pretty pass from
freshman F Tory Allen. Senior D Tyler Stitt started the play in the
neutral zone when he worked a pass up the right-side boards to
Allen. Allen then skated in along the boards before sliding a pass
over to Schroeder, who deflected the puck past Harvey at the 17:51
mark. Stitt and Allen were both credited with assists on the
marker, which was Schroeder's eighth of the season.
The Cadets outshot the Pilgrims 13-6 in the middle stanza, but
they held a tenuous 2-1 lead after 40 minutes of play.
New England College enjoyed a 12-11 edge in shots during the
third period, but Klingensmith was able to turn aside all 12
attempts to keep Norwich in front.
The Cadets iced the game with 33 seconds to play as freshman F
Kyle Thomas netted an empty-net goal off assists from freshman F
Blake Forkey and junior F Chad Anderson.
Klingensmith finished with 23 saves for the Cadets, while Harvey
made 35 stops for the Pilgrims.
Norwich went 0-for-2 on the power play, while NEC was 1-for-4.
