NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Sophomore forward Chris Duszynski (Okotoks, Alberta) scored two goals and classmate Chris Czarnota (Wakefield, Mass.) stopped all 24 shots he faced to earn the shutout in his first career start en route to leading the No. 1-ranked Norwich University men's ice hockey team to a 3-0 victory in ECAC East action at Kreitzberg Arena on Saturday night.

Duszynski gave Norwich (8-0-0, 6-0-0 ECAC East) the lead for good at the 17:15 mark of the first period when he took a pass from Igor Martinez (Pembroke, Pines, Fla.) in the high slot, turned and fired a shot past Skidmore goalie Collin Bessey's glove to make it 1-0 Cadets.

In the second period, Skidmore (4-6-0, 3-5-0 ECAC East) threw a flurry of chances at Czarnota but the sophomore played like a veteran and was up to the task, turning aside a couple grade A scoring chances.

Just under 1:30 into the second period Czarnota went post to post to rob Aaron Beck of a tip-in goal on the right side of the net. A little over five minutes later he made a chest save on 2-on-1 odd-man rush after a shot from Skidmore's Jack Walsh. In the later stages of the period, Czarnota made a glove save on Brad Schuler's attempt to go short side after he was left all alone in the center of the left circle.

Just over a minute later Duszynski gave Norwich a little breathing room with his second goal of the night and third tally of the season on the power play to make it 2-0 Cadets at the 18:17 mark of the period.

Duszynski positioned himself in the high slot and tipped an initial shot from Francois Gatien (Boucherville, Quebec) at the point in the bottom right corner of the net and past Bessey for the goal. Shane Gorman (Trumbull, Conn.) also picked up an assist on the goal.

Tory Allan (Davidson, Sask.) capped the scoring at the 4:50 mark of the third period when he corralled a loose puck on top of the goal crease and shoveled it past a down and out Bessey to make it 3-0 Norwich. The goal was Allan's third of the season. Colin Mulvey (Worcester, Mass.) and Corey Hale (Montreal, Quebec) picked up the assists.

Duszynski nearly completed a hat trick in the final minute of the game but his tip attempt off a pass grazed the top of the cross bar and just went high.

Bessey made 22 saves for Skidmore and fell to 4-6-0 on the year while Czarnota improved to 2-0-0 on the year after coming on for Parker Carroll (West Chester, Pa.) to earn a win against New England College earlier this year.

Norwich outshot Skidmore 25-24 and remains in second place in the ECAC East standings after Castleton beat St. Michael's 5-2 today. The Spartans (10-1-0, 7-1-0 ECAC East) still lead Norwich by two points, but the Cadets have two games in hand on Castleton and own a 3-2 head-to-head win on Dec. 2.

The Cadets close out the first semester on Friday, Dec. 9 with a non-conference tilt against Plattsburgh State at 7 p.m. at Kreitzberg Arena. Norwich beat Plattsburgh 3-0 last Friday in the opening round of the PrimeLink ShootOut for its second straight win against the Cardinals.

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-CADETS-