NORTHFIELD, Vt.- In the penultimate game of the regular season, the Norwich Women's Ice Hockey team played host to Salem State, where first year netminder Payton Sutherland (Brighton, Colo.) would make her Kreitzberg Arena debut.

Off the jump, the Cadets held a decisive territorial advantage, peppering Viking goaltender Kaia Hollingsworth with shots, with several more Grade A chances missing the net or hitting the post. The first period would end with Norwich holding a 13-2 shot advantage, but the game was scoreless.

Early in the second period, Norwich would finally break through. After Sophie Zemianek (St. Albans, Vt.) won a board battle on the right-wing side, the puck came loose to Madison Anderson (Green Bay, Wis.) who roofed the puck short side over Hollingsworth's shoulder to break the ice with Zemianek recording her first point of the season on the play.

Afterwards, a parade to the penalty box ensued where the two teams skated four aside with both Hollingsworth and Sutherland coming up with saves. Soon after coincidental minors were released, and an abbreviated Cadet powerplay was killed off, Norwich would extend their lead once returning to five-on-five play. Livia Brooks (Walpole, Mass.) was circling the zone on the left-wing side, leaving it for a pinching Lauren Tuzik (Frankfort, Ill.). Tuzik threw the puck into the middle for an awaiting Olivia Boyer (Saint Paul, Minn.) who pushed the lead to two. The Cadets kept pressing the attack looking to pad their lead, but the middle frame would conclude with the margin remaining at two.

After continuing the barrage early in the third, Norwich would find the scoresheet again. Anderson intercepted a Viking clearing attempt in the neutral zone and sent Brooks on a rush with Taylor Girouard (Burlington, Mass.). The two linemates exchanged passes before Brooks hammered a shot by Hollingsworth to extend the lead to three.

Eighteen seconds later, the three linemates connected again. Anderson won a defensive zone draw, which came directly to Brooks generating another rush with Girouard. Brooks made a move a move around the Viking defender before passing it off to Girouard for Norwich's fourth and final goal of the game and sealing Sutherland's first career shutout.

The Cadets return to action tomorrow when they host Southern Maine at 4 PM. After the game, the members of the 2023-24 graduating class will be honored with senior day ceremonies.