Box Score

Northfield, Vt. – Top ranked Norwich University held on for a 4-3 ECAC East win over Skidmore College, Saturday afternoon at Kreitzberg Arena.

The win clinched the 15^th straight ECAC East title for the Cadets. 

Dean Niezgoda scored the eventual game-winning goal at the 13:06 mark of the third period to briefly give the Cadets (20-2-0, 15-1-0 ECAC East) a two-goal lead, 4-2 

Skidmore (11-11-2, 8-8-1 ECAC East) wouldn't got away quietly though as they cut the lead to one again for the third time in the game when David Limoges beat Norwich goalie Matic Marinsek off a faceoff play just three seconds into a Cadet penalty.

Brad Schuler won the draw over to Limoges who fired a wrist shot past Marinsek to cut the lead to 4-3 with 3:46 remaining in regulation.

Norwich took another penalty with exactly two minutes left in the game to give Skidmore a chance to score its third power play goal on the night. However, just 30 seconds into the man advantage the Thoroughbreds took a penalty of their own to negate the power play for the remainder of the game. 

Skidmore pulled its goalie with 58 seconds left in search of the equalizer, but it would never come as Norwich escaped with the 4-3 win.

Despite dominating the opening period, outshooting Skidmore 13-3, Norwich wasn't able to solve Freiberg until the 18:09 mark when senior forward Colin Mulvey (Worcester, Mass.) registered his team-leading 17^th goal of the season. 

Norwich didn't need nearly as long to extend its lead to 2-0 as just 2:48 into the second period Niezgoda tapped home a pass from Pier-Olivier Cotnoir on a 2-on-1 break for his third goal of the season.

Skidmore got on the board at the 8:43 mark of the second period when Tony Giacin took two swings at a puck on top of the crease before finally shoveling it past Marinsek for an unassisted tally to cut the Norwich lead to 2-1.

Junior defenseman Zac Fulton made it 3-1 when he blasted a slap shot from the point that glanced off the glove of Freiberg before finding the twine.

Skidmore answered just 54 seconds later on the power play when Aaron Beck pounced on a loose rebound in front of the net to slide the puck under Marinsek after he couldn't control the rebound off an initial shot by Aaron Beck from the point. Jack Even also picked up an assist on the goal for the Thoroughbreds.

Marinsek made 19 saves to record his ninth victory of the season and improve to 9-1-0. Freiberg stopped 25 shots to fall to 8-5-0 on the year.

Skidmore closes out the regular season at home Saturday against Castleton State.