Box Score SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Norwich University men's ice hockey team scored a season-high seven goals as the Cadets' offense erupted in its final game of the first semester, en route to a 7-2 win over Saint Michael's College on Wednesday night in New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) action at Cairns Arena.
Junior Tyler Piacentini (South Weymouth, Mass.) tallied four points, scoring two goals and notching two assists to lead Norwich to the victory. Sophomore Kevin Salvucci (Plymouth, Mass.) and junior Paul Russell (Andover, Mass.) each scored twice as well for the Cadets.
Saint Michael's (2-10-0, 1-8-0 NEHC) struck first blood at the 3:49 mark of the first period with a terrific individual effort by junior Dan Divis skating through the NU defense and then roofing a backhand over the shoulder of NU sophomore goalie Braeden Ostepchuk (Lethbridge, Alberta).
Norwich (8-4-0, 6-3-0 NEHC) answered at the 16:17 mark of the first period with junior defenseman Brian Rowland (Waltham, Mass.) notching his second goal of the season on a rebound after Piacentini's shot from the right wing was blockered away by Chris Johnson. Rowland was crashing on the left wing and rifled a shot into the back of the net before Johnson could recover.
Norwich kept building momentum in the second period, taking its first lead of the game at the 11:57 mark of the second period with Salvucci notching his team-leading 10th goal of the season off an assist from Piacentini while shorthanded.
Piacentini made it 3-1 Norwich just 2:03 later with Piacentini scoring his second of the season with a snipe into the top left corner of the net off a faceoff win from Anthony Flaherty (South Boston, Mass.).
Salvucci notched his second of the night and team-leading 11th goal of the year at the 5:58 mark of the third period off assists from Alec Brandrup (Rochester, Minn.) and Austin Evans (Whistler, British Columbia).
Brandrup found Salvucci crashed the left side of the net with a sneaky no-look pass and Salvucci tapped the puck home.
Saint Michael's briefly cut into the deficit with Eric Salzillo notching his second goal of the year on the power play on a rebound after Shawn Morrow's shot from the point got away from Ostepchuk. Ostepchuk caught the puck with his shoulder, but he couldn't trap it with his glove and Salzillo was first to the round to cut the Norwich lead to 4-2.
Norwich scored three straight goals in the final six minutes with Russell scoring twice and Piacentini getting his second of the night. Russell scored from the middle of the slot, kissing a shot off the right post and into the back of the net for his sixth goal of the year. Evans picked up the assist.
Piacentini sniped home a shot off the crossbar at the 19:09 mark of the third period with Salvucci picking up the assist. Russell deflected home the puck off an assist from Baldillez for his seventh goal of the year at the 19:45 mark.
The Cadets outshot Saint Michael's 37-25 and went 1-of-2 on the power play.
With the win, Norwich snapped a three-game losing streak which was the first time the Cadets had dropped three in a row since 1995-96.
NU is now off until Jan. 2 when the Cadets host the 2016 Northfield Savings Bank Holiday Tournament at Kreitzberg Arena. Norwich will face Wesleyan at 7 p.m. while Manhattanville meets defending NCAA Division III national champion Trinity at 4 p.m. in the other matchup.
