SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – Freshman forward Doug Lindensmith (Sterling Heights, Mich.) notched the second hat trick of his young career to lead the No. 1-ranked Norwich men's ice hockey team to a 7-1 win over St. Michael's in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East action on Friday night at Cairns Arena.

Junior forward Pier-Olivier Cotnoir (Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec) also had a three-point night for the Cadets (12-1-1, 8-1-0 ECAC East) with a goal and two assists.

Cotnoir opened the scoring at the 13:11 mark of the first period by beating St. Michael's goalie Mike Dizgun five-hole off a one-timer from the point off assists from Travis Janke (Swift Current, Saskatchewan) and Emmond Bell (Nepean, Ontario).

Just 1:26 later sophomore forward Chris Duszynski (Okotoks, Alberta) skated down a dump pass from senior captain Shawn Baker (Mont-Laurier, Quebec) and while fighting off a St. Michael's defender fired a shot past Dizgun from the top of the circle far post to make it 2-0 Norwich.

St. Michael's Will Cote cut the deficit in half 1:30 later when he capitalized on a Norwich defensive miscue and beat the Cadets' sophomore goalie Parker Carroll (West Chester, Pa.) to make it 2-1 heading into the first intermission.

Lindensmith regained the two-goal lead though at the 7:03 mark of the second period with a power play tally off assists from Janke and Cotnoir. Lindensmith took a pass from Janke after Cotnoir kept the puck in the zone at the blue line. He faked to his backhand before crossing over to his forehand and sniping a shot past Dizgun.

Junior forward Tory Allan (Davidson, Saskatchewan) stretched the lead to 4-1 with his fifth goal of the season at the 9:37 mark of the second period off an assist from Colin Mulvey (Worcester, Mass.)

Lindensmith added his second goal once again on the power play at the 12:52 mark of the period off assists from Cotnoir and Bell.

Allan scored his second of the game just under three minutes into the third period with an unassisted shorthanded tally to make it 6-1 Norwich. Lindensmith capped his hat trick at the 17:04 mark off assists from Corey Hale (Montreal, Quebec) and Chris Paquet (Victoriaville, Quebec.

Lindensmith netted his first career hat trick in his first career game on Nov. 11, 2011 in a 7-4 win over the University of New England. He also took over the team goal-scoring lead after being tied with junior Kyle Thomas (Waltham, Mass.) at nine. He now has 12.

Norwich returns back home to Kreitzberg Arena on Saturday to wrap-up its home and home series with St. Michael's with faceoff set for 4 p.m.

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-CADETS-