GORHAM, Maine- Looking to get back on the winning track, the Norwich Women's Ice Hockey team hit the road to open the second half of New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) action with their first meeting of the season with Southern Maine in a matchup between two of the top goaltenders in the conference in Leocadia Clark (Stowe, Vt.) and Haley McKim.

In the early going, both sides had periods of sustained pressure, but could not break through either netminder. Eventually, the Cadets would take over the territorial advantage, but could not solve McKim. With five minutes left in the period, Norwich would go to their first powerplay which was interrupted by coincidental minors and the period would end scoreless with the Cadets holding an 8-3 shot advantage.

Early in the second period, USM would get their first opportunity on the powerplay, and it was Clark's turn to come up with big saves of her own to keep the game scoreless. The two sides kept the game scoreless until the halfway point of the frame.

Off a neutral zone faceoff win, the Cadets entered their attacking zone. Lauren Tuzik (Frankfort, Ill.) kept the play alive at the right point, sending the puck behind McKim. The puck was retrieved by Madison Anderson (Green Bay, Wis.) in the corner, and she tried stuffing the puck in, but McKim denied that, however the rebound came to Jenna Nikles (Riley, Mich.) whose shot found an opening on McKim's short side inside the post to put the Cadets ahead. This was Nikles's first goal as a Cadet in her second game after transferring midseason. Nearly two minutes later, the Huskies responded and would tie the game on a shot from the blueline that made its way through net mouth traffic, off Amanda Crowley and passed Clark to even the score during their second powerplay of the night. Sensing the urgency, Norwich took over the territorial play for the rest of the period. Both sides would get one more chance on the powerplay, but the game remained tied at one after 40 minutes.

The Huskies had several chances early in the third, but Clark, once again, turned them aside keeping the game tied. Seven minutes into the period, the Cadets would break the deadlock. Rylie McIntyre (Brunswick, Maine) intercepted a Husky pass in the neutral zone, leading to a rush the other way where she went around the defenders and centered the puck to Marja Linzbichler (Graz, Austria) who beat a sprawling McKim for the eventual game winning tally.

Four minutes later, Norwich would extend their lead. Wilda Ohman (Lulea, Sweden) won a puck battle along the right-wing boards and sent the puck into the slot for an opportunity by Livia Brooks (Walpole, Mass.). Brooks's shot deflected off Anderson as she crashed the net to double the lead and clinching a 3-1 Cadet win.

"I thought we pulled together a nice team win over a gritty USM team," said Head Coach Sophie Leclerc Doherty. "Leo was solid, along with our defensive core. We got into some penalty trouble which we need to tighten up heading into tomorrow."

Tomorrow, the Cadets will continue their four-game road trip with a stop in Salem State at 3 PM.