NORTHFIELD, Vt.- For the final time of the regular season, the fourteenth ranked Norwich Men's Ice Hockey team hit the Kreitzberg Arena ice, as they celebrated senior day. But first was a clash of two of the top teams in the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) in a battle with ninth ranked Skidmore in a battle of two of the top defensive teams in Division III.

After a bumpy opening to the game with several stoppages, the first shot of the game came off the stick of a Norwich player, which was stopped by Thoroughbreds' backup goaltender Blaine Moore, after starter Tate Brandon left the action temporarily. The Cadets held an upper hand in terms of shots on goal, but offensive chances in high danger areas were nonexistent for both sides early on, leading to a scoreless intermission.

After Norwich killed off consecutive penalties early in the second, including one that carried over from the first period, the Cadets would break through. Collin Elliott (Peterborough, On.) applied pressure to the Skidmore defenders at their defending blueline. The turnover came to Owen Sclisizzi (Milton, On.) who skated to the right circle and ripped a wrist shot passed Brandon for the first goal scored between these two squads all season. Late in the period, Norwich would go back to the penalty kill but Sami Molu (Toronto, On.) and the rest of the penalty killers preserved the one goal lead.

Early in the third, with a carryover powerplay of their own, Norwich looked to get some breathing room, but Brandon kept the game close. Eventually, the Thoroughbreds got another crack at the man advantage, where Molu and Matt Harvey (Fort Covington, N.Y.) got in the way of numerous Skidmore attempts.
Soon after the kill was completed, Molu left the ice with an injury leaving the goaltending duties to Bryce Walcarius (Aylmer, On.) for the last nine minutes. In those nine minutes, Walcarius stopped all ten shots that came his way, seven of which were with the extra attacker on the ice to preserve the 1-0 combined shutout victory.

"I thought it was a gutsy effort, as we lost some guys during the game," Head Coach Cam Ellsworth said. "I'm very happy with the outcome, but I'm even more impressed with the effort."

After the game, the three members of the graduating class were honored, including: senior captain Joe Nagle (Weymouth, Mass.), junior forward Mikey Mackenzie (Londonderry, N.H.) who is graduating early, and senior alternate captain Patrick O'Neal (Indiana, Pa.)

The Cadets conclude the home portion of their schedule going 9-1-2 on the Kreitzberg Arena ice. Their last four games of the regular season will all be on the road beginning with a trip to Plattsburgh State on Jan 31 at 7 PM.