NORTHFIELD, Vt.- The Norwich University Men’s Ice Hockey team opened the second half of their schedule with a resounding 5-1 victory over SUNY Canton Friday night at Kreitzberg Arena.

The latter end of Friday’s Northfield Savings Bank Holiday Tournament doubleheader started off fast for the Cadets courtesy of a Philip Elgstam  (Stockholm, Sweden) goal five minutes in, his fourth in the last three games. Later on, sophomore Bryan O’Mara (Syracuse, N.Y.) would score the first of his two goals on the night giving Norwich the 2-0 after the first period. Clark Kerner (Kansas City, Kan.) and Noah Williams (Cortland, N.Y.) also notched the first of two assists apiece on O’Mara’s first goal of the game.

The Kangaroos would answer halfway through the middle frame with a goal by Matthew Headland. However, the Cadets would reclaim the two-goal lead thanks to sophomore Paul Schmid (Linz, Austria) prior to the second intermission with senior Keegan Mantaro (Monument, Col.) tallying the first of his two assists on the night. Freshman Johnny Johnson (Napierville, Ill.) would score in the third along with O’Mara’s second of the game.

“I’m very happy with the result,” Head Coach Cam Ellsworth said. “Coming off a long layoff you’re unsure of how things are going to go but I was satisfied with the effort.”

The Cadets will look to bring home their first Holiday Tournament Championship since Dec. 2016 when they face Curry Saturday evening at Kreitzberg Arena at 5 PM. It will be the third all-time meeting between the two schools and first since March 2011.