Box Score

NORTHFIELD, Vt. -- After being held scoreless for more than half the game, fifth-ranked Norwich University struck for three goals in a span of 3:28 during the 2nd period en route to a 5-1 victory over the University of New England in ECAC East men's ice hockey action Friday night (Jan. 24) at Kreitzberg Arena.

The Nor'easters (7-11-1, 4-8-0 ECAC East) managed to keep the hosts off the board for the initial 32:36 (21 shots), and went in front just 2:43 into the middle frame when junior Jared Melman took a no-look back-pass from sophomore Tom Gildersleeve in the middle and maneuvered around the goalie to slide one into the net. First-year Trevor Fleurent also assisted on the play.

But as play continued, the Cadets (13-3-2, 9-1-1 ECAC East) upped the pressure and pulled even on a mini break with blast from the top of the right circle off the stick of Dmitry Ermakov.

Less than a minute later Norwich went ahead for good, as a shovel-pass from the blue line into a crowd in the middle received a deflection Travis Janke that put the puck past the UNE netminder.

With just under five minutes left in the 2nd, Tyler Piacentini dug out of a scramble along the left wall and flipped a pass towards the middle to where Paul Russell swooped in and sent a one-time flick into the upper right corner.

The two connected again shortly into the 3rd stanza, when Russell slotted one from the right dot into the left side after a feed from Piacentini behind the cage. William Pelletier capped the scoring down the stretch with a wrister from the middle.

Chris Czarnota needed to make just nine saves to backstop the win for the Cadets, who host the University of Southern Maine on Saturday (4 p.m.).

For the Nor'easters, who head for Saint Michael's College at the same time, junior Colby Drost posted 40 stops.