Box Score NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Norwich sophomore goalie Kelly Fisk (Hannibal, N.Y.) made 27 saves while Julie Fortier (Saint-Malachie, Quebec) and Tyne Gove (Berwick, Ontario) each scored a goal to lead the Norwich women's ice hockey team to a 2-0 win over Holy Cross on Saturday afternoon at Kreitzberg Arena in the regular season finale.
Fisk was marvelous all game long and blanked the Crusaders for her second shutout of the weekend and her school-record seventh on the season. Her best save on the night came about midway through the third period when she stopped two-time RBK All-American Stacey Hochkins on a breakaway to keep Norwich on top 2-0.
Hochkins intercepted a pass at the Norwich blue line to spring herself on a clean breakaway. The Holy Cross senior faked to her fore hand before sliding the puck over to her backhand. However, Fisk stayed right with Hochkins and stuck her left skate out at the last second to stifle the chance.
After scoreless first 20 minutes, the Cadets (22-2-1, 17-0-1 ECAC East) finally got on the board with a 5-on-3 power play goal from Fortier for her 26th goal of the season, which tied the program single-season record.
Fellow senior Amanda Wilks (Winnipeg, Manitoba) started the play by feeding a pass to Fortier in the middle of the slot. Fortier then sent a sizzling wrist shot to the far post that left Holy Cross goalie Alexandra Stevenson no chance. Senior Sarianne Lynn (Wethersfield, Conn.) also picked up an assist on the goal.
Just over six minutes later Gove stretched the lead to 2-0 with her 13th goal of the season off assists from Jillayne DeBus (Howell, Mich.) and Renee Lortie (Cornwall, Ontario).
Lortie carried the puck into the zone and sent a crossing pass over to DeBus who was stoned by Stevenson. However, the Holy Cross goalie couldn't control the rebound and the puck kicked right out to a trailing Gove who flipped the puck on her back hand top shelf and over Stevenson for her 13th goal of the season.
Norwich survived a tumultuous final two minutes where they fended off a flurry of Holy Cross chances while the Crusaders had their goalie pulled and were on a power play for a two-skater advantage.
The Cadets shut out Holy Cross in both meetings this season with NU scoring a 5-0 win on Dec. 4 down in Worcester. Norwich is now 4-0-2 in its last six meetings with the Division I Crusaders.
With the victory, the Cadets successfully completed their second straight ECAC East regular season unbeaten season and extended their unbeaten streak in league games to 39 straight.
Norwich's last league loss in the regular season came to Manhattanville on Feb. 7, 2010. The Valiants won by a score of 7-2 at Kreitzberg Arena.
Stevenson made 32 saves for Holy Cross and suffered her first loss of the season to fall to 6-1-1.
Norwich will be the top seed in the ECAC East Tournament for the second straight year and the Cadets will begin their quest for the third title in the last four years next Saturday, Feb. 25 when they take on Nichols in the quarterfinal round at 3 p.m. at Kreitzberg Arena.
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