NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University men's ice hockey team could hardly have scripted a more dramatic beginning to the 2026-27 season.
In a nationally ranked showdown that featured nearly every imaginable twist, No. 10 Norwich survived a late University of New England rally before senior captain Cooper Bertrand (Caledon, Ont.) buried the game-winning goal 2:34 into sudden-death overtime, lifting the Cadets past the ninth-ranked Nor'easters, 7-6, on Friday evening before 1,159 fans at Kreitzberg Arena.
The victory marked Norwich's first over UNE since 2019 and gave the Cadets a statement win against a Nor'easter program that reached last season's NCAA Tournament. Norwich, meanwhile, entered the new campaign after advancing to the NCAA Division III Quarterfinals a year ago and was selected as the preseason favorite in the Little East Conference.
Bertrand delivered the final word in a contest that refused to settle.
After UNE erased a 6-4 Norwich lead with two goals over the final 5:29 of regulation, including a shorthanded equalizer with 2:22 remaining, the teams moved into three-on-three overtime deadlocked at 6-6.
Bertrand first made an impact at the opposite end, blocking a Ryan Hadland attempt just 34 seconds into the extra session. Sami Molu (Toronto, Ont.) then turned aside UNE's only shot on goal of overtime before Norwich went the other direction.
Jake Kavanagh (Kirkland, Quebec) helped create the opportunity, finding Bertrand as the senior defenseman joined the play. Bertrand finished the sequence at 2:34, sending the puck past Harrison Chesney and immediately setting off a celebration along the Norwich bench and inside Kreitzberg Arena.
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The overtime strike capped a three-point night for Bertrand, who finished with two goals and an assist while adding two blocked shots. Kavanagh also posted three points on a goal and two assists, while
Boyd Stahlbaum (Peterborough, Ont.) orchestrated much of Norwich's offense with four assists.
The frantic finish was fitting for a game that started at almost the same pace.
UNE needed only 38 seconds to strike first, as Brayden Cook opened the scoring to hand the visitors an immediate 1-0 advantage.
Norwich required just 84 seconds to answer. After a cross-checking penalty put the Cadets on their first power play of the season,
Frank D'Ancona (Fort Myers, Fla.) converted only three seconds into the man advantage, taking feeds from Stahlbaum and Bertrand to pull Norwich even at 1-1 with 17:58 remaining in the opening period.
The Cadets went back to the power play midway through the frame and capitalized almost immediately again.
With Ronnie Hill sent off for slashing at 11:10,
Ocean Fancy (Orleans, Mass.) needed only seven seconds to put Norwich in front. Stahlbaum picked up his second assist of the night on the play, giving the Cadets a 2-1 edge at 11:17.
UNE responded before the intermission, as Hadland scored at 17:59 to send the nationally ranked opponents into the first break tied at 2-2.
Norwich's power play remained red-hot when the second period began.
D'Ancona struck for the second time at 3:56, finishing a sequence from Stahlbaum and
Samuel Larsson (Stockholm, Sweden) for Norwich's third power-play goal on its first three opportunities and a 3-2 advantage.
The lead lasted a little more than two minutes before Dominic Murphy pulled UNE level at 6:21.
Norwich's response came almost immediately. Just 13 seconds after the Nor'easters tied the game, Bertrand jumped into the offense and finished a feed from Kavanagh and
Sammy Crane (Aurora, Ill.), restoring the Cadets' advantage at 4-3 with 13:26 remaining in the period.
The second period appeared destined to end with Norwich in front until UNE received a late power play.
With Bertrand's tripping penalty nearing expiration and the clock nearly at zero, Drew Olivieri found the equalizer with just one-tenth of a second showing, sending the teams into the second intermission tied once again, this time at 4-4.
Norwich emerged from the break and reclaimed control. Crane put the Cadets back ahead at 4:36 of the third, converting assists from Fancy and
Johnny Maruna (Willowick, Ohio) for his first collegiate goal.
Kavanagh followed just under seven minutes later. With Norwich pressing in the offensive zone, Stahlbaum collected his fourth assist of the evening and
Avry Shaw (Estero, Fla.) added the first point of his collegiate career as Kavanagh found the back of the net at 11:25, giving the Cadets their largest lead of the night at 6-4.
UNE refused to go away. Olivieri scored his second of the game on the power play at 14:31, slicing Norwich's lead to one and setting the stage for another dramatic swing.
The Cadets appeared poised to earn an opportunity to put the game away when UNE was whistled for roughing with 3:28 remaining. Instead, the Nor'easters generated a shorthanded chance, and Daniel Johnson finished it at 17:38 to erase Norwich's two-goal cushion and knot the contest at 6-6.
Both teams threatened over the final two minutes.
Norwich generated a late look through
Hayden Heinrich (Richmond Hill, Ont.), while UNE forced Molu into a pair of saves inside the final 37 seconds. The Cadet defense also received a crucial blocked shot from
Zach Ophoven (Burlington, Ont.) with two seconds remaining, ensuring the season opener would require overtime.
Bertrand made sure it did not last long. The All-American defenseman, who entered his senior season after posting 26 points last year, finished his season debut with two goals and an assist. His overtime winner capped a night in which Norwich received production throughout the lineup.
Stahlbaum's four assists led all players, while Kavanagh matched Bertrand with three points. D'Ancona scored twice, while Fancy and Crane each finished with a goal and an assist. Maruna, Larsson, and Shaw each recorded helpers as Norwich produced 19 points across its seven goals.
Norwich's special teams were instrumental throughout the evening, as the Cadets went 3-for-7 on the power play. All three conversions came on Norwich's first three opportunities, with D'Ancona scoring twice and Fancy adding the other. UNE finished 2-for-4 with the man advantage while also producing the late shorthanded equalizer.
The Cadets also controlled the faceoff circle, winning 44 of 71 draws for a 62.0-percent clip. Kavanagh won nine of his 13 opportunities, while D'Ancona went 12-for-21 and
Ben van Waterschoot (Whitby, Ont.) finished 10-for-18.
Molu earned his first victory of the season after making 24 saves across 62:34. He turned aside 11 shots in the opening period, seven in the second, five in the third, and UNE's lone shot on goal in overtime. Chesney finished with 22 saves for the Nor'easters.
UNE held a narrow 30-29 edge in shots on goal, while Norwich generated 45 total shot attempts. The Cadets blocked 11 shots defensively, including Bertrand's stop early in overtime before his game-winning strike.
The victory also added another chapter to a series Norwich has historically controlled. The Cadets entered the night holding a 16-3 advantage in the all-time series with the Nor'easters, with the programs first meeting on Nov. 20, 2009.
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Norwich will now turn its attention to Little East Conference play, beginning a two-game road swing next weekend.
The Cadets will travel to Plymouth State University on Friday, Nov. 6, for a 5:00 p.m. contest before heading to New England College on Saturday, Nov. 7, for a 4:00 p.m. matchup in Henniker, N.H.
Norwich returns to Kreitzberg Arena the following weekend for its first LEC home contests of the season, welcoming Babson College on Friday, Nov. 13, at 7:00 p.m. before hosting the University of Southern Maine on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 4:00 p.m.
