MEN'S HOCKEY

NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Rick Cleaver netted a hat trick, and Rico Piatelli scored twice to lead the fifth-ranked Norwich University men's ice hockey team to an 8-2 victory over Salem State in the ECAC East Tournament championship game Sunday afternoon at Kreitzberg Arena.

The victory gives the Cadets their seventh ECAC East Tournament title, and NU locks up the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships, which begin Saturday, March 15. Norwich's opponent in the national quarterfinals will be determined later tonight (March 9). Regardless of the opponent, the game will be broadcast on the radio (WDEV: AM-550, FM-96.1), and on the internet (http://www.cadetsradio.com/).

Norwich (22-6-0) opened the scoring late in the first period when Cleaver scored a short-handed goal at the 16:46 mark. Sylvain Messier set up the play when he picked up the puck in the neutral zone and carried it into the Vikings' zone before leaving it for Cleaver, who beat Salem State goaltender Ryan Hatch with a quick wrist shot.

Norwich held an 11-5 edge in shots on goal in the opening 20 minutes, but the Cadets were only able to score the one goal as Hatch made several big saves.

NU increased its lead to 2-0 at the 6:35 mark when D.J. Fimiani potted his sixth goal of the season off assists from Cleaver and Eric Lauriault.

Salem State (16-11-1) cut its deficit in half later in the second stanza when Mike Genovese scored his 12th goal of the year at the at the 11:10 mark.

The Cadets broke the game open with three goals over a span of 4:24 late in the second period. Piatelli started the offensive explosion with his eighth goal of the season at the 14:50 mark. Cleaver then scored two straight goals, his 30th and 31st of the season, in almost identical fashion, finishing off a pair of beautiful breakaways. His first goal was set up by Justin Wissman and Nick Quagliani, while the second one was set up by Lauriault and Phil Sbrocchi.

Norwich outshot Salem State 11-10 in the second period, and four of the Cadets shots beat Hatch as they opened up a 5-1 lead going into the third period.

Salem State cut Norwich's lead to 5-2 just 34 seconds into the third period when Justin Fox scored a power play goal. The tally, Fox's team-leading 18th of the season, was assisted by Jeff Tellier.

The Cadets responded by scoring the final three goals of the game. Raphael Robitaille netted his 10th of the season at the 4:15 mark off assists from Nikita Kashirsky and Piatelli. Kashirsky added a goal of his own at the 11:41 mark. Kashirsky's tally, his 19th of the season, was assisted by Robitaille and Piatelli. Piatelli closed the scoring with his second of the game at the 14:53 mark off assists from Kashirsky and Robitaille.

David Thompson stopped 20 shots to earn the victory between the pipes for the Cadets. The sophomore goaltender improves to 14-2-0 on the season.

Cleaver was named the ECAC East Tournament "Most Valuable Player," while Thompson, Piatelli and Messier all represented Norwich on the all-tournament team. Fox and Genovese represented Salem State on the all-tournament team.