MANCHESTER, N.H. - The Norwich University men's ice hockey team extended its perfect start to the season with its fifth straight victory on Friday night in a 5-1 win over Saint Anselm College.

Norwich (5-0-0, 4-0-0 ECAC East) got a goal and an assist each from Austin Surowiec (Louisville, Ky.), Kevin Salvucci (Plymouth, Mass.) and Dean Niezgoda (Brewster, Mass.) as the Cadets rolled to the victory.

Sophomores Paul Russell (Andover, Mass.) and Tyler Piacentini (South Weymouth, Mass.) each scored goals as well for the Cadets to round out the offensive leaders as nine different players got on the scoresheet.

Freshman goalie Braeden Ostepchuk (Lethbridge, Alberta) improved to 3-0-0 in his career by stopping 14 shots to pick up the victory in between the pipes for Norwich.

Russell gave NU the only lead it would need just under halfway through the first period with a power play goal off assists from Bryce Currier (Essex Junction, Vt.) and Surowiec for his first goal of the year.

Junior defenseman Ryan Whitell (Calgary, Alberta) made it 2-0 at the 3:55 mark of the second period off assists from Cody Smith (Hudson, Mass.) and Payton Baldillez (Arlington, Texas).

Surowiec made it 3-0 later in the period to give Norwich a 3-0 lead heading into the second intermission.

Saint Anselm (2-3-0, 2-3-0 ECAC) got one back at the midway point of the third when Johnny Daniels finally solved Ostepchuk on a 5-on-3 power play to cut into the deficit.

However, that's as close as Saint Anselm would get as Norwich added two empty-net goals in the last 1:19 of the game from Piacentini and Salvucci. Piacentini's goal was his team-leading fifth of the season.

Norwich looks to continue to avenge being swept on the New Hampshire roadtrip from last season when it takes on New England College on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in Henniker. The Pilgrims are 2-3-1 on the season and beat Saint Michael's 3-2 in overtime on Friday.