Box Score NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University women's ice hockey team clinched its sixth straight New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) regular season title with a 2-1 win over second-place Holy Cross on Saturday afternoon at Kreitzberg Arena.
Freshmen Bryn Labbe (Calgary, Alberta) and Carly Menges (Novelty, Ohio) each scored goals, while junior Celeste Robert (Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec) made 36 saves to backstop the Cadets to their 10th straight victory.
Norwich (19-6-0, 16-1-0 NEHC) opened the scoring at the 6:56 mark of the first period with Labbe continuing her impressive rookie campaign, notching her team-leading 14th goal of the season to put the Cadets up 1-0.
Labbe took a pass from senior forward Madison Gallagher (Kirkland, Quebec) at the blue line and skated in down the center of the ice. She made a move around a defender and then just as she went for a shot, her stick was slashed out of her hands. However, there was still enough force on the puck to slip into the bottom left corner of the net.
Norwich didn't take long to capitalize on the simultaneous slashing penalty as Mengis cashed in on the power play with a wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that beat Holy Cross starting goalie Alex Barnes short side and made it 2-0 Cadets. Mengis received a pass from the far point by Kim Tiberi (Raleigh, N.C.) to set up the goal and sophomore forward Muranda Toews (Grand Prairie, Alberta) notched the second assist. The goal marked the first of Mengis' career at Norwich.
Holy Cross (22-3-0, 14-3-0 NEHC) dominated the second period, outshooting Norwich 23-4 and then Crusaders finally got on the board at the 13:32 mark with Kara Violette scoring her ninth goal of the season. Violette lit the lamp on the power play off assists from Taylor McGee and Mackenzie Boardman. Violette sniped a shot over the glove of Robert after she received a pass from McGee in the right faceoff circle.
Norwich made the lead stand up in the third period as the Cadets responded by controlling the play and outshooting the Crusaders 9-4 over the final 20 minutes. Holy Cross outshot NU 37-20 overall.
Alex Barnes made 18 saves for Holy Cross to fall to 5-2-0 on the year. Robert improved to 13-4-0.
Norwich secured the No. 1 seed for the NEHC Tournament and will now host either New England College or Southern Maine next Saturday, Feb. 27 in the NEHC Quarterfinal round.
If the Cadets win, they'll host the NEHC Final Four weekend on Mar. 4 and 5 at Kreitzberg Arena.
