BIDDEFORD, Maine – The Norwich University men's ice hockey team got goals from six different skaters, including three in the first period as the Cadets jumped out to a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes, en route to a 6-1 win over the Univ. of New England on Friday night in ECAC East action.

Norwich (15-2-1, 11-0-0 ECAC East) scored three times in the first 14 minutes of the game with sophomore Anthony Flaherty (South Boston, Mass.), senior Gerard McEleney (Canton, Mass.) and sophomore Brian Rowland (Waltham, Mass.) all finding the back of the net. Sophomore forward William Pelletier (St. Jean Chrysostome, Quebec) also notched a career-high four assists in the game.

McEleney made it 2-0 on the power play at 10:28 of the first with a snipe from the inside of the circle short side over the blocker of the UNE goalie off an assist from Alec Thieda (Rochester Hills, Mich.).

Rowland increased the lead to 3-0 with another power play goal at the 13:46 mark of the first period off assists from Pelletier and Alec Brandrup (Rochester, Minn.).

Norwich moved the puck quickly across the top of its power play formation set-up and then Rowland let a laser rip from the point that found the upper right corner of the net for his second goal of the season.

UNE (6-11-1, 4-7-1 ECAC East) got one back with 1:24 left in the first period with a power play goal by Trevor Fluerent. Jared Melman and Zeth Zielinski picked up the assists on the Nor'Easters' lone goal of the game.

Norwich regained its three-goal lead again at the 4:25 mark of the second period with sophomore forward Paul Russell (Andover, Mass.) tipped home an initial shot by Rowland while diving in front of the net to make it 4-1 Cadets.

Thieda increased the lead to 5-1 at the 12:22 mark of the third period off assists from Russell and Pelletier. Thieda went backhand and flipped the puck over to forehand before wristing the puck into the top corner of the net.

Norwich capped the scoring with junior forward Dean Niezgoda (Brewster, Mass.) tallying his ninth goal of the season on a 2-on-0 with Pelletier after Pelletier stripped the puck from a UNE player at the blue line. Pelletier slipped a pass over to Niezgoda and then he took care of the rest, burying the puck into the corner of the net to make it 6-1.

Norwich sophomore goalie Ty Reichenbach (Billings, Mont.) made 25 saves on 26 shots to improve to 8-0-1 on the season. Colby Drost stopped 33 shots to fall to 6-8-1 on the year for UNE.

Norwich extended its lead to three points in the ECAC East standings following Babson beating UMass Boston 4-2 on Friday night. The Beavers and Beacons meet again tonight at UMass Boston. Norwich will continue its Maine trip to Gorham, where it will take on the Southern Maine Huskies at 4 p.m. on Saturday.