CLINTON, N.Y. – The Norwich men's ice hockey team saw its 2025–26 season come to a close on Saturday night, falling 2–1 in overtime to Hamilton College in the NCAA Quarterfinals at Russell Sage Rink. Despite the result, the Cadets received a standout performance from Little East Conference (LEC) Goalie of the Year and Tournament MVP Sami Molu (Toronto, Ont.), who turned aside 41 shots in a heroic effort between the pipes.

"First off, credit to Hamilton — they played their butts off," said head coach Dominick Dawes '04. "They played hard. I thought it was a hard, heavy game. Both teams felt their way through it early, with some good scoring chances."

Norwich came out with an early jump, generating the first wave of chances and testing Hamilton goaltender Aksel Reid in the opening minutes. As the period progressed, however, the Continentals began to tilt the ice, applying sustained pressure in the offensive zone. Molu was called upon repeatedly and delivered, making a series of difficult saves through traffic and controlling rebounds to keep Hamilton off the scoreboard.

The Cadets weathered the storm throughout the remainder of the opening frame, with Molu anchoring the defensive effort. Hamilton outshot Norwich 16–7 in the period, but the game remained scoreless heading into the first intermission.

Norwich found its footing early in the second period, generating more consistent offensive zone time and forcing Reid into several saves. Despite the improved play, it was Hamilton who broke through first. Just shy of the six-minute mark, Max Bulawka found the back of the net to give the Continentals a 1–0 lead.

Hamilton continued to press following the goal, but Molu stood tall, turning aside chance after chance to keep the deficit at one. The Cadets pushed back as the period wore on, with both teams earning power-play opportunities that ultimately went unconverted. Strong defensive play and steady goaltending on both ends preserved the 1–0 scoreline through 40 minutes.

The Continentals carried their momentum into the third period, but once again, Molu was equal to the task. He made several key stops early in the frame, keeping Norwich within striking distance as Hamilton searched for an insurance goal.

Against the flow of play, the Cadets found the equalizer. Boyd Stahlbaum (Peterborough, Ont.) capitalized on a misplay by Reid behind the net, pouncing on the loose puck and tucking it home to tie the game at 1–1.

"We talked a lot about just putting pucks on net," Dawes said. "He's had a great year, but we thought from watching film that he might fight the puck at times. That was part of our mindset — get pucks on him and see what happens."

With new life, Norwich battled through the remainder of regulation as Hamilton continued to press. Molu delivered in key moments down the stretch, preserving the tie and forcing overtime.

In the extra session, the Continentals maintained their aggressive approach, generating multiple scoring chances. Molu again came up with several big saves to keep the Cadets alive. Ultimately, Hamilton broke through when Jackson Krock buried a rebound off a Luke Tchor shot, sealing the 2–1 overtime decision and ending Norwich's season.

The loss marked Norwich's first defeat since Jan. 20 against Middlebury, capping a remarkable late-season run. Under first-year head coach Dawes, the Cadets went 9-1-3 down the stretch, finishing the season with a 19-6-4 overall record and capturing the inaugural Little East Conference championship.

"This has been one hell of a resilient group," Dawes said. "We've only lost two or three games in regulation all year. I don't care what team or league you're in — with a new coaching staff and everything changing, that shows the character in that dressing room."

Saturday's contest also marked the final game for Norwich's senior class of Devon Thibodeau (Pelham, Ont.), Nick Cordeiro (Mississauga, Ont.), Matt Harvey (Fort Covington, N.Y.), Adam Shuchart (Marietta, Ga.), and Owen Hains (Lebanon, Pa.), a group that played a key role in the program's return to conference championship form and NCAA Tournament success.

"Norwich hockey never went anywhere — there's a standard and a history here," Dawes said. "That's what drew me back. What these guys have done for the community, the rink, and the fan base."

Postgame Press Conference