NORTHFIELD, Vt.- The eighth-ranked Norwich Women's Ice Hockey team made a thunderous return to home ice Friday night, rolling to a 10–0 Little East Conference (LEC) victory over Keene State at Kreitzberg Arena. A six-goal eruption in the second period and Geena Cookinham's (Gilmanton, N.H.) first collegiate hat trick, and a career-best performance for Breanna Ricker (Laconia, N.H.) highlighted a dominant performance as the Cadets opened a weekend series with authority.

Norwich established control from the opening faceoff, applying heavy pressure in the offensive zone and forcing Keene State goaltender Ai Chung into several early saves. The Cadets were rewarded midway through the opening period when they capitalized on their first power play.

Seven-and-a-half minutes in, Anna Lisac (Euclid, Ohio) won a clean faceoff back to Lauren Tuzik (Frankfort, Ill.) at the point. Tuzik moved the puck along the blue line to Jordan Brady (Green Bay, Wis.), whose wrist shot was deftly redirected in front by Madison Anderson (Green Bay, Wis.) and into the net to give Norwich a 1–0 lead.
The Cadets continued to tilt the ice for the remainder of the period, outshooting the Owls 21–4 in the opening frame. Despite the lopsided shot total, Chung came up with several timely saves to keep Keene State within one heading into the first intermission.

The floodgates opened early in the second period. Just 50 seconds after the puck dropped, Olivia Boyer (Saint Paul, Minn.) won a faceoff cleanly to Ricker, who dropped the puck to Cookinham at the far-right hash marks. Cookinham fired a shot that banked off the leg of an Owl defender and into the net for her first goal of the night.

Only 26 seconds later, Norwich struck again. Ricker and Cookinham broke in on a two-on-one rush, and this time Ricker finished the play, snapping a shot past Chung to make it 3–0.

Keene State briefly found its footing midway through the period. Still, Madison Brunet (Timmins, Ont.) and the Cadet penalty kill turned aside the Owls' best chances, preserving the shutout and setting the stage for a decisive surge from the home side.

Norwich closed the period with four goals in the final five minutes. The first came off a relentless forecheck by Penny Saich (Norwell, Mass.) and Madalyn Liles (Arlington, Texas) behind the net, creating a loose puck that Marja Linzbichler (Graz, Austria) buried on a second-chance opportunity at the doorstep.

Just 38 seconds later, Boyer won another faceoff, this time back to Tristina Doyle (Cape Coral, Fla.), who found Ricker in the slot. Ricker slid her shot through traffic and past Chung to extend the lead to 5–0.

With a minute and a half remaining in the period, Norwich continued to press. A net-front scramble featured chances from Linzbichler and Libby Lane (Northville, Mich.) before Liles jammed home the third opportunity to make it a six-goal game.

The Cadets weren't done yet. Thirty-six seconds later, Dani Ammons (Centennial, Colo.) kept the puck alive at the left point, Boyer delivered a pass into the slot, and Cookinham calmly outwaited Chung before tucking home her second goal of the night, capping the six-goal second-period barrage and sending Norwich into the break with a commanding 7–0 lead.

Keene State turned to Abby Tanner in goal to start the third period, but Norwich continued to control play. At the midway point of the frame, an Ellin Rees (Cardiff, Wales, U.K.) wrist shot created another scramble in front, and Cookinham poked the puck home to complete her first collegiate hat trick.

Just over two minutes later, Ammons found the back of the net for her first goal in maroon and gold, adding to the Cadets' growing advantage. The scoring was capped 1:16 later when Livia Brooks (Walpole, Mass.) banked a rebound off Tanner and into the net to make it 10–0.

Brunet remained sharp throughout, turning aside every shot she faced to secure the shutout as Norwich cruised to the emphatic conference win.

The Cadets received contributions up and down the lineup, led by Cookinham's four-point night (three goals, one assist). Ricker finished with five points on two goals and three
assists, while Boyer recorded four assists. Tuzik added two helpers, and Ammons, Linzbichler, and Liles each chipped in a goal and an assist.

Norwich and Keene State will conclude the weekend series on Saturday, Jan. 17, with puck drop scheduled for 1 p.m. at Kreitzberg Arena when Norwich hosts their annual Cadets Fight Cancer game.