NORTHFIELD, Vt.- The Norwich Women's Ice Hockey team captured its second East-West Classic championship in three years with an emphatic 5–2 victory over former New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) rival Elmira on Monday afternoon, closing out the 15th annual tournament with a dominant performance at Kreitzberg Arena.

Facing a familiar postseason foe in the championship game, the Cadets wasted little time asserting control, using relentless forechecking, opportunistic scoring, and a strong outing in goal from Madison Brunet (Timmins, Ont.) to pull away from the Soaring Eagles and lift the title.

Both teams took the opening minutes to find their legs, with Brunet and Elmira goaltender Sara Sevcikova each making early saves to keep the game scoreless. Norwich began to tilt the ice midway through the opening period, and the pressure paid off just past the six-minute mark.

Breanna Ricker (Laconia, N.H.) forced a turnover along the right half wall and drove toward the net, generating a quality chance that Sevcikova initially turned aside. Geena Cookinham (Gilmanton Iron Works, N.H.) followed the play and pounced on the rebound, slipping it home to give the Cadets a 1–0 lead and ignite the Norwich bench.
The opening goal, followed shortly by a Norwich power play, swung momentum decisively in the Cadets' favor. Norwich swarmed the offensive zone, limiting Elmira's ability to clear and repeatedly forcing the Soaring Eagles into rushed decisions. That sustained pressure resulted in a second goal late in the period.

With just under 90 seconds remaining in the first, Ellin Rees (Cardiff, Wales, U.K.) gathered the puck in the defensive zone and sent it cleanly through the neutral zone to Madison Anderson (Green Bay, Wis.). Anderson moved it along the left boards to Marja Linzbichler (Graz, Austria), who gained the zone, cut hard to the middle, and roofed a shot over Sevcikova's short-side shoulder. Norwich carried a 2–0 lead into the first intermission while holding a commanding 12–3 edge in shots.

The Cadets showed no signs of letting up in the second period. After the Norwich penalty kill snuffed out an early Elmira power play, the Cadets extended their lead as soon as the penalty expired. Cookinham struck again, forcing a turnover in the neutral zone and breaking in alone before making a slick move on Sevcikova and finishing for her second goal of the game.

Norwich continued to overwhelm Elmira with pace and physicality, and the lead grew to four just two-and-a-half minutes later. Lauren Tuzik (Frankfort, Ill.) stepped up to prevent an Elmira breakout at the blue line, skated into the high slot, and snapped a wrist shot past Sevcikova's glove. The goal spelled the end of Sevcikova's afternoon, as Olivia Last entered in relief.

The change in net did little to slow the Cadets. With the pressure unrelenting, Norwich struck once more late in the middle frame. A turnover fell to Anderson, whose initial attempt was denied by Last, but Anna Lisac (Euclid, Ohio) followed the play and buried the rebound with just under three minutes remaining in the second. The goal gave Norwich a commanding 5–0 lead and capped a dominant period that firmly put the championship within reach.

Elmira made a push in the third period, looking to claw back into the game. The Soaring Eagles broke through five-and-a-half minutes into the frame, just as a power play was winding down, when Amber Meluzio found the back of the net to get Elmira on the board.

Three minutes later, Elmira took an aggressive approach, pulling Last for an extra attacker on the power play to create a two-player advantage. The gamble paid off immediately, as Alayna Toole scored right off the ensuing faceoff to cut the deficit to 5–2.

Elmira attempted the same tactic later in the period, again opting for the extra skater during a power play, but Norwich's penalty kill rose to the challenge. Brunet made several key saves down the stretch, calmly handling traffic and rebounds as the Cadets shut the door and preserved the three-goal victory.

Cookinham was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after her two-goal performance in the championship game, while Maggie Hunter (Royal Oak, Mich.) earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team for her stellar two-way play on the blue line throughout the weekend.

"We started fast this evening and kept our momentum going through the entire game," said Head Coach Justin Simpson. "Our group was so locked in and focused this week of practice in preparation for the East-West Tournament. I am extremely proud of our group for the way we played to win the tournament. Our staff is looking forward to watching our growth and development continue."

Earlier in the day, Plattsburgh State claimed third place with a 4–0 win over Oswego State.

Norwich will look to carry its momentum from the tournament title back into conference play when the Cadets return to action on Friday, Jan. 9, traveling to Vermont State Castleton for a 4 p.m. puck drop to open a weekend doubleheader as they resume Little East Conference (LEC) competition.