Fresh off its first conference championship in six years, the No. 10 seed Norwich men's ice hockey team returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three seasons on Saturday, traveling to No. 6 seed Salve Regina for a first-round showdown.
The matchup marks Norwich's first-ever trip to Salve Regina. All four previous meetings in the all-time series have taken place at the Kreitzberg Arena, with the teams splitting those contests at 2 wins apiece. The most recent meetings came last season when both programs competed in the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC).
Down the Stretch
Salve Regina enters the NCAA Tournament as one of Division III's top teams after navigating a unique schedule as the lone Division III independent, facing a largely Division II slate throughout the season. The Seahawks have not played since an 8-1 win over Franklin Pierce on Feb. 10.
Norwich, meanwhile, arrives in peak form. The Cadets carry an 11-game unbeaten streak into the national tournament, a surge punctuated by a dominant run through the Little East Conference Tournament. Norwich outscored its two conference tournament opponents by a combined 10-1 margin, dispatching UMass Boston in the semifinal before knocking off Babson in the championship game to secure the league's automatic bid.
Most Recent Meetings
The two sides last met on Feb. 7-8, 2025, during their first and only season together as NEHC foes.
The opener proved to be a thriller, with Norwich earning an overtime victory on a game-winner from
Clark Kerner '25. Kerner and
Bryan O'Mara '25 each posted three points in the win, while
Cooper Bertrand (Caledon, Ont.) added two points.
Colin Elliott (Peterborough, Ont.),
Devon Thibodeau (Pelham, Ont.), and
Nick Cordeiro (Mississauga, Ont.) also found the scoresheet in the back-and-forth contest.
The following night, Salve Regina answered with a 5-1 win. After the game was tied in the second period, the Seahawks scored four unanswered goals to pull away and salvage the weekend split.
Tale of the Tape
| Stat Category |
Norwich |
Salve Regina |
| Record |
18-5-4 |
20-4-0 |
| Goals/Game |
3.6 |
5.0 |
| Goals Against/Game |
2.0 |
1.5 |
| Power Play |
22.2% |
29.3% |
| Penalty Kill |
82.2% |
89.9% |
| Team Save % |
.926 |
.935 |
Norwich Leaders
The Cadets bring a deep, balanced offensive attack to the national tournament, with seven players eclipsing the 20-point mark this season.
Ben van Waterschoot (Whiby, Ont.) has been one of the team's hottest players down the stretch, posting 26 of his 29 points since Jan. 10 while earning Second Team All-Conference honors for his strong two-way play. In that same stretch,
Zach Ophoven (Burlington, Ont.) caught fire offensively, scoring 12 goals to move into the team lead in that category.
On the blue line, junior captain
Cooper Bertrand continues to anchor the Norwich defense while producing a career-best offensive season. Bertrand finished with a new personal high of 25 points and earned First Team All-Conference recognition.
About the Seahawks
Salve Regina has put together an impressive résumé this winter, including wins over common opponents such as Southern Maine and Keene State. The Seahawks also split with MASCAC champion Anna Maria and own a notable 4-2 victory over Bowdoin from Dec. 13.
Cade DeStefani leads the Seahawks in scoring with 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 points. He was especially dangerous against Norwich last season, recording five points in the two meetings, including a four-point outing in the Feb. 8 contest. Logan Calder and Matthew Brunton also provide plenty of offensive punch behind him.
Between the Pipes
Norwich will rely on standout netminder
Sami Molu (Toronto, Ont.), who was named LEC Goalie of the Year, First-Team All-Conference, and LEC Tournament MVP. Molu stopped 61 of the 62 shots he faced during the conference tournament and enters the NCAA Tournament with a 2.06 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage.
Salve Regina leans on Selby Warren, who has carried the bulk of the workload all season and posted a sparkling 1.28 goals-against average with a .950 save percentage in 18 appearances.
What's at Stake
With two strong programs meeting for the first time in postseason play, the stage is set for a compelling NCAA Tournament opener.
The winner will move on to the NCAA Quarterfinal round to face either Hamilton or Neumann.
Full Bracket
