NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University men's ice hockey team improved to 4-0 on the season with a 2-0 shutout victory over Plymouth State on Saturday night at Kreitzberg Arena. 

Junior goalie Drennen Atherton (Winter Haven, Fla.) stayed perfect on the season, pitching a 27-save shutout for his third consecutive shutout to open his Maroon & Gold career. 

Senior Carter Cowlthorp (Boissevain, Manitoba) and junior Noah Williams (Cortland, N.Y.) each scored goals to lead the Norwich offense on the day. 

Norwich (4-0) prevailed in a matchup between two 2020 NCAA Division III conference champions and what could have been an NCAA quarterfinal matchup nearly a year ago before the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19. Plymouth State (2-3) won the MASCAC and was set to face Endicott College in a first round matchup this weekend of last year. The winner was set to head to Norwich in the quarterfinal round after the Cadets earned a bye. 

Cowlthorp put Norwich up 1-0 at the 6:54 mark of the first period with a power-play tally on a rebound off assists from Maxime Borduas (St. Cesaire, Quebec) and Gabriel Chicoine (St. Dominique, Quebec). Chicoine took an initial shot from the point that Plymouth State goalie Kalle Andersson made the initial save and then stoned Borduas on the doorstep. However, that rebound kicked out to Cowlthorp at the top of the crease, who shoveled it into the back of the net out a scrum for his second goal of the year. 

Williams was the benefactor of a puck deflecting off Braedyn Aubin's (Woodstock, Ontario) skate as he came out of the penalty box after serving his penalty. Williams was sprung on a partial breakaway as he skated in from the right wing and clapped a slap shot over Andersson's blocker for his first goal of the year. 

Norwich held on from there with a tremendous defensive performance, buoyed by Drennen in between the pipes. 

Norwich outshot Plymouth State 35-27 in the game. Andersson made 33 saves for Plymouth State. 

The two teams will do battle again on Sunday at 3 p.m. in Kreitzberg Arena.