Cadets rebound from loss by beating Conn. College
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By TOM HERZIG Correspondent - Published: January 11, 2009
NORTHFIELD – Norwich scored two power-play goals in the first period and Cadet goalie Ryan Klingensmith made them stand up for 2-1 victory over Connecticut College Saturday at Kreitzberg Arena.
The victory helped Norwich salvage a weekend split after Friday's loss to Tufts and left the Cadets atop the ECAC East (4-2-1) with a 6-4-2 record overall.
DJ Fimiani's sixth goal of the season got Norwich started at 3:23. Freshman Emmond Bell stole the puck 8 feet in front of the net and drew a roughing penalty to set up the power play. Eric Tallent's shot, set up by Nikita Kashirsky, popped in the air off goalie Greg Parker's stick and came to Fimiani at the edge of the crease.
Norwich surged ahead 2-0 seven minutes later when defenseman Tyler Stitt scored his first career goal – also on a power play. Kashirsky assisted by faking a shot and serving the puck to Stitt, who was left alone in the opposite circle.
"That was two years in the making," Stitt said with a smile. "We've all been working a lot on putting our shots on net. There was a nice lane for the pass and Nikita found me and I just reacted. We were hungry after the loss last night. We wanted this one."
Norwich entered the weekend minus injured defensemen Steve Coon and Shawn Baker and played without senior forward Rico Piatelli (hip flexor) against the Camels (5-5-1). After grabbing the 2-0 lead, they gained more momentum by withstanding a two-man disadvantage for 1:56. Kashirsky, Tallent and Stitt held on for the first minute, then Fimiani, Owen Carpino and Billy Casper finished the job.
Connecticut College ended Klingensmith's shutout bid with 1:14 left to play. Ryan Riffe dug the puck out of a crowd in front of the cage and got it to Robbie Tesar at the post after the Camels had pulled their goalie. Moments earlier, Norwich nearly added a third goal when Jim Koehler knocked Eric Tallent's long fluttering shot to the ice at Parker's feet, but Parker managed to sweep it out of harm's way.
Klingensmith wound up with 15 saves, seven of which came in the final period. Parker stopped 23 Norwich shots.
"We played really well in the first period, not so great in the second, and then we did a good job in the third period," Norwich coach Mike McShane said. "Our checking was good. The puck movement was good and our shorthand was good."
Norwich will host Babson on Friday at 7 p.m.
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