HENNIKER, N.H. - With its high-powered offense held in check for much of Saturday afternoon, the nationally-ranked Norwich University men's ice hockey team found another way to win.
Sophomore Ocean Fancy (Orleans, Mass.) erased a one-goal deficit midway through the third period before freshman Easton Swift (West Hartford, Conn.) supplied the decisive strike 3:42 into overtime, lifting No. 7 Norwich past New England College, 2-1, in Little East Conference (LEC) action at Lee Clement Arena.
The dramatic road victory kept the Cadets perfect through the opening three games of the season at 3-0-0 overall and 2-0-0 in conference play. Norwich also extended its winning streak over New England College to three consecutive meetings.
After combining for 14 goals across victories over then-No. 9 University of New England and Plymouth State University to open the campaign, Norwich instead needed patience and defensive resolve Saturday.
New England College struck first at 17:50 of the opening period, converting one of only three shots on goal in the frame to take a 1-0 advantage into the first intermission.
The Cadets generated chances throughout the opening 20 minutes, putting seven shots on goal and producing several additional opportunities that sailed wide or were blocked, but Pilgrim goaltender Anthony Beaulieu kept Norwich off the scoreboard.
Norwich increased the pressure considerably in the second period.
The Cadets put 17 shots on goal during the middle frame and received three power-play opportunities, including an extended stretch with the man advantage after New England College took penalties at 14:20 and 15:43.
Cooper Bertrand (Caledon, Ont.), Fancy, Boyd Stahlbaum (Peterborough, Ont.), Jake Kavanagh (Kirkland, Quebec), and several others generated opportunities during a lengthy stretch of Norwich possession, but Beaulieu continued to preserve the one-goal NEC lead.
At the opposite end, senior Bryce Walcarius (Aylmer, Ontario) kept Norwich within striking distance, stopping all eight shots he faced in the second period as the Cadets entered the third still trailing, 1-0.
The Pilgrims threatened to add to their advantage early in the third, testing Walcarius repeatedly during a stretch that included seven shots over the opening eight minutes.
Norwich weathered the surge before finally finding its breakthrough.
A holding penalty at 8:05 handed the Cadets their third power-play opportunity, and Fancy capitalized at 9:32, finding the back of the net for his third goal of the season to finally pull Norwich level at 1-1.
The tying goal set up a tense closing stretch in which Norwich's penalty kill was called upon three more times.
New England College went to the power play at 12:13 and again at 16:29, but the Cadets held firm each time. Norwich then faced its greatest test when another penalty with just 53 seconds remaining in regulation gave the Pilgrims a man advantage that carried into overtime.
Walcarius turned aside a late opportunity before regulation expired, sending Norwich to overtime for the second time in three games.
The senior remained sharp once the extra session began.
New England College generated four shots on goal during the opening 3:30 of overtime, including three in an 18-second span shortly after the Norwich penalty expired. Walcarius denied each attempt, giving the Cadets the opportunity they needed at the other end.
Norwich called timeout with 1:30 remaining in the five-minute overtime period.
Twelve seconds later, the game was over.
Swift found the winner at 3:42, scoring his second goal of the young season to give Norwich the 2-1 victory. Bertrand and senior Ben van Waterschoot (Whitby, Ontario) joined Swift on the ice for the decisive three-on-three shift as the Cadets secured their second overtime victory of the season.
Walcarius was outstanding throughout the afternoon, stopping 28 of the 29 shots he faced across 63:42 to earn the victory. He was especially busy late, making 13 saves in the third period and four more in overtime.
Norwich finished with a 30-29 advantage in shots on goal after putting 24 shots on net across the second and third periods. The Cadets also held a 37-29 advantage at the faceoff dot, led by van Waterschoot's 14-for-19 performance and Kavanagh's 7-for-10 showing.
The penalty kill proved equally important. Norwich erased all six New England College power plays, including three during the final eight minutes of regulation and the opening 1:07 of overtime. The Cadets went 1-for-3 with the man advantage, with Fancy supplying the game-tying marker.
The Cadets will now return to Kreitzberg Arena for four consecutive home games, beginning with a rematch of the inaugural Little East Conference Championship game. Norwich will welcome longtime rival 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.
