NORTHFIELD, Vt.- Coming off one of their most complete performances last game against Babson, the thirteenth ranked Norwich Men's Ice Hockey team looked to ride that momentum into a matchup with second ranked Elmira.

Early on, the two teams exchanged shots, but the Cadets held the territorial advantage. Five and a half minutes in, Norwich struck first. The forechecking pressure by Patrick O'Neal (Indiana, Pa.) forced a turnover behind the Soaring Eagles' net. The puck came to Owen Sclisizzi (Milton, On.), whose shot was blocked, but ricocheted to Cooper Bertrand (Caledon, On.) who found a wide open Jed Brazo (Homer, N.Y.) for the goal for Brazo's sixth point in the last six games. Soon after, the Cadets were awarded two powerplays in short order, but Elmira's Kyle Curtin kept the game close despite Norwich holding a 12-6 shot advantage at intermission.

Even though Elmira got a few chances towards Bryce Walcarius (Aylmer, On.), they struggled to establish any sustained time in the offensive zone, while Curtin was keeping the game within striking distance at the other end. Halfway through the frame, the Soaring Eagles received their first man advantage of the game. After Chance Gorman and Jared Smith played catch, Smith passed the puck to Jordan Gonzalez at the center point. Gonzalez's wrist shot clanged off the post and trickled behind the goal line to even the score. As the period wound down, the Cadets went back to the penalty kill, which was successful, and kept the score tied at one with the home team holding a 24-12 advantage in shots.

The Cadets continued to press in the third period with several opportunities that either sailed wide or were stopped by Curtin. The persistence would pay dividends for Norwich who would strike twice in 54 seconds in the final three minutes. Colin Elliott (Peterborough, On.) forced a turnover in the neutral zone, and would ring the puck around the boards for Clark Kerner (Kansas City, Kan.). With possession along the left-wing boards, Kerner threw the puck cross ice to Holden Doggett (Oakville, On.) at the net mouth for the tap in to break the deadlock.

Soon after, O'Neal forced another turnover, this time at Elmira's attacking blueline, with Sclisizzi taking control. Sclisizzi's initial shot was denied by Curtin, with the rebound going to the left boards. Paul Schmid (Linz, Austria) would gather the rebound and throw the puck towards the net where it deflected off a Soaring Eagle player and into the net for Schmid's team leading sixth goal of the season and securing the 3-1 win.

"It was a hard-fought game between both sides," Head Coach Cam Ellsworth said after his 95^th career win. "I was very proud of our effort."

The Cadets will look to keep their momentum going when they host top ranked Hobart on Jan 13 at 4 PM.