NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The No. 1-ranked Norwich University women's hockey team rallied to score two third period goals to salvage a 2-2 tie with No. 7-ranked Elmira College on Saturday afternoon in the opening game of the third annual East/West Hockey Classic at Kreitzberg Arena.

Elmira (0-0-1) scored a goal in each of the first two periods to take a 2-0 lead into the second intermission. However, Norwich (0-0-1) came storming back in the final period with goals from juniors Renee Lortie (Cornwall, Ontario) and Kayla Parsons (Fairbanks, Alaska).

Elmira struck first on the power play just over five minutes into the game when Madison Johnston unleashed a slap shot from the point that beat Norwich sophomore goalie Loren Carrier (Chandler, Ariz.) high to the glove side after she was screened by traffic in the slot area. Olivia Nystrom and Caitlin Metcalf recorded assists on the goal for the Soaring Eagles.

Elmira added to its lead at the 8:22 mark of the second period when Nystrom capitalized on Norwich defensive zone turnover to make it 2-0 Soaring Eagles. Nystrom intercepted an outlet pass at the Norwich blue line, skated in on Carrier and with a defender draped all over her back out waited the NU goalie and then slipped the puck underneath her left pad for her first collegiate goal.

Norwich finally got on the board 21 seconds into the third period when Lortie poked home a loose rebound in the crease after Brittany Sharman's (Ayer's Cliff, Quebec) initial shot was saved by Elmira senior goalie Lauren Sullivan.

The Cadets continued to plug away in search of the equalizer and they finally capitalized on Elmira taking a slew of penalties to cash in on a 6-on-3 opportunity when Parsons blasted a shot from the blue line off the right post and into the back of the net to knot the game at two with just over four minutes left.

The two sides remained deadlocked through the rest of regulation and the five-minute overtime before settling for the draw. Elmira had two golden opportunities in overtime when Brooke Wilgosh through a puck on goal from the side boards that Carrier never even saw. The puck bounced off Carrier's skate and then Metcalf was all alone in front of the net and couldn't shove the puck past the NU goalie on the rebound attempt.

Norwich outshot Elmira 25-24. Elmira took 10 penalties to Norwich's four. The Cadets were 1-for-10 on the power play while Elmira was 1-for-4.

Carrier made 22 saves playing in her first game for Norwich after transferring in from Division I Ohio State. Sullivan stopped 23 shots for Elmira.

In the second game, Plattsburgh beat Manhattanville 2-1 in overtime after Teal Gove scored 2:33 into overtime to lift the Cardinals to the win after Manhattanville had tied the game with just 12 seconds left in regulation.

The East/West Hockey Classic wraps up tomorrow afternoon with Manhattanville facing Elmira at 1 p.m. before the highly anticipated showdown between No. 1-ranked Norwich and No. 2-ranked Plattsburgh at 4 p.m.