HORSEHEADS, N.Y.- Coming in off a shutout loss to top-ranked Hobart, the Norwich Men's Ice Hockey team continued their swing through Upstate New York with a trip to the domes of Elmira College, with sophomore netminder Owen Hains (Lebanon, Pa.) getting his first career start.

Through the first half of the opening frame, both sides traded scoring chances back-and-forth until Elmira was awarded a powerplay eleven minutes in. After a successful Soaring Eagle zone entry, and several failed clearing attempts, Elmira would break through first on a powerplay goal by Janis Vizbelis. As both sides continued to trade chances, Norwich would go back on the penalty kill late in the period which they would kill off and head into intermission down one.

With both sides continuing to trade chances early in the second period, the Cadets would even the score at the eleven-minute mark. A deep dump into the offensive zone led to a foot race won by Bryan O'Mara (Syracuse, N.Y.) who, from behind the goal, threw the puck in front to Owen Sclisizzi (Milton, On.) in front of the net who stuffed it home.
The momentum was in the Cadets favor, as immediately after they went to their first powerplay which generated four shots, but none passed Elmira goalie Kyle Curtin. Minutes after the penalty kill, Elmira regained the lead on a wrist shot from the slot by Ryan Reifler. Fifty-eight seconds later, Nicholas Domitrovic would put a shot on through a screen to stretch the Soaring Eagles' lead to two at the end of forty minutes.

Early in the third period, the Cadets would draw within one once again. A Clark Kerner (Kansas City, Kan.) takeaway in the offensive zone was fed to Jed Brazo (Homer, N.Y.) in front of the goal 1:16 into the period to make it 3-2. After some choppy action, the Soaring Eagles would regain the two-goal lead on a wide open one-timer by Vizbelis for his second of the game. Two minutes later, on a 3-on-1 rush, it returned to a one goal game with Kerner feeding Sclisizzi who got the puck to Holden Doggett (Oakville, On.) for the finish.

On the goal there was a collision that knocked the net off its pegs, the result of which was a contact to the head penalty against Elmira, and a five-minute Norwich powerplay. Sixteen seconds into the powerplay, the Cadets converted. As Johnny Johnson (Naperville, Ill.) gained the zone, he gave the puck to O'Mara, who found a streaking Kerner in the middle for the equalizer. Norwich kept pressing, even after the end of the major, but the game wound up going to overtime. In the extra period, Norwich held a decided advantage in possession, however after a flurry of saves by Curtin, a 2-on-1 broke the other way with Shawn Kennedy feeding Jordan Gonzalez for the overtime winner 3:21 into extra time.

"It's not the result we wanted, but there were a lot of positives from our group tonight," said Head Coach Cam Ellsworth.

After the long trip through Upstate New York, Norwich will return to home ice on Nov 10 when they continue NEHC play against UMass Boston at 7 PM.