Norwich hockey team wins NCAA Division III title

By Ronnel Daniels
Norwich Guidon Sports Editor
and Mike Legere
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

After the heartbreaking, overtime loss in last year's NCAA Division III National Championship game to Wisconsin-Superior, the Norwich University Cadets return to the top of Division III Hockey with the 2-1 victory over Oswego State to claim the national championship for the second time in Norwich history.

Senior captain Toza Crnilovic's slapshot from the blueline made the difference as Norwich University posted a 2-1 come from behind win over Oswego State. This victory was sweet redemption after the loss that they had suffered the year before.

Before a sellout crowd at Kreitzberg Arena on Saturday night, the Cadets won their second national championship in four years. With the Cadets trailing 4-1 after two periods to Trinity in last Saturday's NCAA Division III quarterfinal, Norwich University coach Mike McShane made his team a promise.

"I said, 'If you win this game, then I guarantee you'll win the national championship,'" McShane said. Norwich did win that game, 5-4, and after Saturday night's 2-1 victory over Oswego State, the Cadets are national champions for the second time in four years.

The win confirmed the Cadets' penchant for third-period drama. Oswego goaltender Tyson Gajda's spectacular stand in net kept Norwich scoreless for two periods, a mind-boggling feat considering the Cadets feature the top-ranked offense in the nation. Gajda's heroics, combined with teammate John Hrliman's power-play goal at 18:04 in the second, sent Norwich into the final break trailing, 1-0.

"We missed a lot of great chances to score," said Marshall Lee, of a Cadet-dominated second period. "Then they scored. That was a tough one."

Lee, 22, a senior from Calgary, Alberta, majoring in Communications, said "we felt a little down, but we pulled it together and got he victory."

In their three NCAA games, Norwich outscored its opposition 10-1 in the third period.

"We talked about being a third-period team at the beginning of the season," said senior captain Toza Crnilovic, who scored the winner at 7:01 of the third. "We wanted to train hard so we could be in good shape and play hard in the third period."

Norwich had proved its third-period resiliency in its two previous NCAA tournament games. Saturday's rally continued the trend as Aaron Lee and Toza Crnilovic scored in succession to lift the Cadets into the record books.

Between the second and third periods during the Trinity game, "a couple of the seniors decided it would be a good idea to get everyone in a huddle," Norwich goaltender Mike Boudreau said. "So we'd get in a little huddle, and we'd get each other pumped up. We've been doing that throughout the NCAAs, and we come out fired every third period."

Whatever happened in that huddle served to rectify the misfortune that plagued the Cadets during the first 40 minutes.

Norwich struggled during the first period, ceding a significant territorial advantage to a high-flying Oswego squad. Anticipating the Cadets' infamous up-the-gut neutral-zone attack, Laker defenders shut down Norwich's passing lanes, effectively stalling Cadet puck movement.

Playing in the biggest game of his young career, Boudreau repeatedly thwarted Laker forwards.

"Boudreau made some really good saves," said Crnilovic.

Norwich's offense found its stride during the second period, sparked by the high-octane first line of Vadim Beliaev, Paul Matucci and Kurtis McLean. Gajda's goal-line heroics, however, prevented the Cadets from capitalizing on their lengthy possessions inside the Oswego zone.

"We're been rolling four lines all year and that helps us out so much," said Crnilovic. "You've got fresh legs in the third period."

For the second time in the NCAA tournament, Norwich trailed heading into the third period. A raucous din greeted the Cadets when they returned from the break, as Kreitzberg fans vocalized expectations of yet another third-period comeback. Norwich did not disappoint.

Norwich's fourth line figured largely in Friday's semifinal win, and Aaron Lee punctuated its contribution with a goal at 5:50 into the third. Marshall Lee muscled valiantly past a defender to get off a shot on Gajda. The junior goalie stopped the offering, but let the rebound pop into the crease, where Aaron Lee swatted it into the top corner to tie the game at 1-1.

The momentum turned for good at the 5:50 mark when Norwich's Aaron Lee slapped a rebound past Gajda to tie the game. That ended Gajda's streak of almost 106 minutes of scoreless play this weekend.

"We talked about it in between [the second and third] periods," said Lee. "If we get one [goal], the crowd will really get into it, and we'll take control."

That's exactly what happened. With the Kreitzberg Arena sellout crowd of 2,250 still buzzing from Lee's goal, Crnilovic struck at 7:01 with a seeing-eye shot from the left point that went through a crowd and inside the far post.

Just 71 seconds later, Toza Crnilovic duplicated the effort, buying the game-winner with a slap shot from the left slot. A worn-out Laker team was unable to find an equalizer, and Norwich held on for the victory.

"I'm so proud of the guys," said an emotional Roll in the post-game press conference.

"We left everything we had on the ice," McShane said.

McShane is equally proud. Last season, Norwich didn't hold the lead, allowing a goal with under two minutes to play in the title game, and eventually lost to Wisconsin-Superior in overtime.

"I really didn't bring that up very much this season," said McShane. "But I did tell them before the third period, 'Let's not feel that way again.'"

Not to worry. Another third-period comeback, and the Norwich Cadets are the 2002-2003 champions.

The National Championship is the second for the Cadets hockey program, having claimed the crown in 2000, as well. Norwich finishes the year with a 27-3 record.

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