HENNIKER, N.H.-The Norwich Men's Ice Hockey team hit the road for the first time since Nov. 22 on Friday night and continued Little East Conference (LEC) play with a 6–4 victory over New England College, riding an explosive four-goal first period to secure the win.

Norwich wasted no time asserting itself, pressing Pilgrim goaltender Anthony Beaulieu from the opening puck drop. The pressure paid off just three-and-a-half minutes into the contest. Owen Sclisizzi (Milton, Ont.) won a faceoff cleanly back to Kyle Kudrna (Bartlett, Ill.), who swept the puck to Hayden Heinrich (Richmond Hill, Ont.) at the left point. Heinrich fired a wrist shot through traffic that slipped past Beaulieu for his first collegiate goal, giving the Cadets an early lead.

After killing off a New England College power play, Norwich went right back on the offensive and doubled its advantage just past the halfway mark of the period. Devon Thibodeau (Pelham, Ont.) sent the puck around the glass. When the Pilgrims attempted to clear, Ben van Waterschoot (Whitby, Ont.) stepped into the lane to intercept the puck and send it back to Colin Elliott (Peterborough, Ont.) at the blue line. Elliott's wrist shot found its way through traffic and into the net to make it 2–0.

New England College responded four minutes later, cutting the lead to one on a goal by Wyatt Gibson, but Norwich answered almost immediately. Just 44 seconds later, off a faceoff win, the puck was worked behind Beaulieu's cage. Boyd Stahlbaum (Peterborough, Ont.) wrapped it around to the left half wall for Zach Ophoven (Burlington, Ont.), who spotted van Waterschoot in front. Van Waterschoot redirected the puck home to restore the two-goal cushion.

The Cadets struck again just 52 seconds later to extend the lead to three. Niko Benjamin (Surprise, Ariz.) and Frank D'Ancona (Fort Myers, Fla.) carried the puck into the offensive zone, where D'Ancona's initial shot was stopped by Beaulieu. The rebound kicked out into the slot, and Ocean Fancy (Orleans, Mass.) stepped into it to bury the chance, capping a rapid offensive surge.

As the period wound down, New England College made it a two-goal game once again, scoring on the power play as Dylan Duckson converted late. Norwich still carried a 4–2 lead into the first intermission while holding a 12–7 advantage in shots.

Norwich continued to build on its momentum early in the second period. The Cadets went on the power play and struck just seconds after it expired. Thibodeau kept the play alive at the blue line and sent the puck down the right boards, where a battle ensued. Ophoven poked it free to Nick Foster (Amherst, Mass.), who wrapped the puck around and jammed it home to make it 5–2.

Halfway through the period, Norwich stretched the lead to four. Stahlbaum poked the puck loose in the defensive zone, and van Waterschoot quickly sent Ophoven racing the other way. Ophoven split the Pilgrim defenders on a breakaway and slid the puck past Beaulieu to give the Cadets a commanding advantage.

New England College gained some momentum late in the period on the power play and pulled a goal back with a minute and a half remaining, trimming the Norwich lead to three heading into the third.

The Pilgrims carried that momentum into the final frame, applying pressure early and forcing Norwich goaltender Bryce Walcarius (Aylmer, Ont.) to come up with several key saves. Just past the midway point of the period, New England College scored during four-on-four play to cut the deficit to two.

From there, the Pilgrims continued to push, but Walcarius stood tall, turning aside repeated chances to preserve the lead. Beaulieu was pulled for the extra attacker with a minute and a half remaining, but a subsequent four-on-four situation forced him back into the crease. Norwich clamped down defensively in the closing moments to seal the victory.

Van Waterschoot finished the night with a goal and two assists, Ophoven added a goal and an assist, and Stahlbaum chipped in two helpers as Norwich balanced its scoring attack.

"Offensively, I really liked our game today," said Head Coach Dominick Dawes '04. "But I don't think we played a 200ft game, defensively we needed to be better top to bottom."

The Cadets will remain on the road as LEC play continues, traveling to Plymouth State on Saturday, Jan. 24, for a 6 p.m. puck drop.