NORTHFIELD, Vt.- The Norwich Women's Ice Hockey team opened the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) Tournament Saturday afternoon with an authoritative 6-1 victory over eighth seeded Albertus Magnus. In the game, five Cadets tallied multiple points led by first year blueliner Jordan Brady (Green Bay, Wis.) with a four-point effort.

Off the opening puck drop, the Falcons made a push towards Leocadia Clark (Stowe, Vt.), but were denied. The Cadets counter-punched emphatically by getting several shots towards Christmas Johnson and eventually would break through. While cycling, Brady set up Breanna Ricker (Laconia, N.H.) for a one-timer that was stopped by Johnson, but Jenna Nikles (Riley, Mich.) poked at the loose puck and jammed it home for the icebreaker three and a half minutes in.

Halfway through the opening frame, Norwich tacked on another. Livia Brooks (Walpole, Mass.) circled the attacking zone, and put the puck on goal generating a scramble. Olivia King (Old Town, Maine) had a chance that was knocked down before the puck came to Taylor Girouard (Burlington, Mass.) by the right post who poked the puck home extending the lead to two. The Cadets kept the momentum going and added one more tally in the final minute. Brady collected the puck in the defensive zone and got it to Ricker fresh off the bench. She sent it along to Anna Lisac (Euclid, Ohio) who made a move on Johnson and scored giving Norwich a three-goal lead at intermission.

In the opening minutes of the second period, the Cadets added to their advantage. From the left corner, Madison Anderson (Green Bay, Wis.) sent the puck to the slot for Rylie McIntyre (Brunswick, Maine) whose shot attempt was blocked down. The ricochet came to Grace Joscelyn (Hooksett, N.H.) before she sent a shot through traffic going five-hole on Johnson for Joscelyn's first collegiate goal. Four minutes later, on a similar looking play, Anderson sent it to the back for Brady before sliding it over to Sophie Zemianek (St. Albans, Vt.) whose shot also went five-hole on Johnson making it a five-goal contest.

In the last five minutes of the frame, on a five-on-three, Brady roofed a wrist shot through traffic over Johnson to close out her four-point effort. 12 seconds later, on a four-on-four, the Falcons finally broke through with Tori Walsh deflecting home a point shot. Jess Trocchio would enter the Albertus net in the third, stopping all 17 shots faced to bring the final score to 6-1.

With the win, the Cadets move on to the NEHC Semifinals. In round two they will host fifth seeded William Smith at 3 PM on March 1 to open a postseason doubleheader at Kreitzberg Arena.