NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Julie Fortier scored a pair of goals and assisted on another, and Amanda Wilks and Jacyln Cleugh each scored two goals apiece to help lead the Norwich University women's ice hockey team past visiting Nichols College, 6-0, Friday evening at Kreitzberg Arena.

The Cadets (4-4-0, 4-2-0 ECAC East) were too much for the Bison (0-7-0, 0-6-0 ECAC East), outshooting their visitors, 33-7.

The score was deadlocked at 0-0 following the first 20 minutes. Norwich outshot Nichols, 10-3, in the opening frame, but neither team was able to break through with a goal.

That all changed in the second period, when the Cadets exploded for four goals in the middle stanza. Fortier started the uprising with what proved to be the game-winning tally at 8:56 of the second, scoring off assists from Sophie Leclerc and Sarah Scardino.

Wilks made it 2-0 at the 13:00 mark when she took a feed from Leclerc and scored a power play goal. NU goaltender Cindy Fortin, who started the play up ice, got credit for an assist on the goal as well. Just 1:03 later, the Cadets made it 3-0 as Cleugh scored her first career goal off assists from Annie DiVito and Katie Leupp. Fortier scored her second goal of the period off a feed from Leclerc with just 40 seconds remaining in the second period to give the Cadets a commanding 4-0 lead with one period to play.

Norwich added a pair of insurance markers in the third. Wilks scored her second goal of the game at the 7:52 mark off passes from Kelsey Cone and Fortier. Cleugh rounded out the scoring as she tallied her second of the game at the 12:47 mark off an assist from Leupp.

Fortin stopped all seven shots that she faced to earn the shutout. Melissa Mansfield (Medford, N.Y.) made 17 saves and allowed four goals through the first two periods before giving way to Christine Mazza (Dedham, Mass.), who allowed two goals while stopping 10 shots in the final frame.

Nichols will look for its first win of the season Saturday at Wesleyan in a 7 p.m. game. 

Story courtesy Norwich Sports Information

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