MEN'S HOCKEY

NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Rick Cleaver scored a pair of goals, including the game-winning tally late in the third period, as the No. 7-ranked Norwich University men's hockey team edged ECAC East rival New England College, 5-4, on Saturday afternoon at Kreitzberg Arena.

Norwich (16-3-0, 12-1-0 ECAC East) took a 1-0 lead at the 2:47 mark of the first period when Rico Piatelli scored his seventh goal of the year off assists from Dana Thibault and Billy Kasper. New England (11-5-3, 6-4-3 ECAC East) tied the game just 1:03 later when Brian Pouliot netted his 12th goal of the season on the power play at the 3:50 mark.

The Cadets reclaimed the lead at the 14:23 mark of the first period when Cleaver scored his 19th goal of the season. The senior took a pass from D.J. Fimiani and ripped the puck past NEC goaltender Aaron Harvey to put Norwich on top, 2-1. Cleaver's tally came just moments after Fimiani had a shot clang off the crossbar.   

The Pilgrims knotted the score at 2-2 with just 1:47 to play in the opening period when Bjorn Terasniski scored off a costly Norwich turnover right in front of the net. Terasniski intercepted an errant clearing pass in the slot area and slid the puck past NU goalie Ryan Klingensmith, who did not have much of a chance on the play.

The Cadets outshot the Pilgrims, 13-12, in a very entertaining first period.

Norwich again regained the lead midway through the second period when Raphael Robitaille scored his sixth goal of the year at the 9:01 mark after taking a nifty pass from Nikita Kashirsky. Kashirsky started the play by carrying the puck from the neutral zone and setting up a two-on-one opportunity. Then, after Harvey committed himself to the left side of the net, Kashirsky feathered a nifty pass it over to Robitaille, who slammed the puck into the gaping net.

NU outshot NEC, 15-5, in the second stanza, but the Cadets were only able to get one of their 15 shots past Harvey and they took a 3-2 lead into the third frame.

Eric Lauriault made it 4-2 in favor of Norwich early in the third period when the senior converted a nice two-on-one play off an assist from Cleaver. Mark Ehl brought New England back to within one goal just two minutes later when he scored his team-leading 18th goal of the year at the 3:50 mark.

Cleaver notched his team-leading 20th tally of the season, and today's game-winning goal, at the 16:05 mark of the third period, putting Norwich in front, 5-3, with less than four minutes to play. Less than one minute later, New England scored again when Per Thunberg fired a long shot past Klingensmith to pull to within 5-4.

The Pilgrims, who were outshot 14-9 in the final period, were unable to score the equalizer and the Cadets skated off with the hard-fought victory.

Norwich outshot New England, 42-26, for the game. The Cadets were 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Pilgrims were 2-for-4.

Klingensmith made 22 saves in goal, as the sophomore netminder improves to 6-0-0 on the season.

Norwich returns to action on Friday, Feb. 8, when the Cadets travel to Williamstown, Mass., to take on the Williams College Ephs at 7 p.m. The game can be heard on the radio (WDEV: AM-550, FM-96.1), and on the internet (http://www.cadetsradio.com).