What started out as a fast, physical, closely-matched game turned into a route as Williams defeated St. Norbert, 6-1, in the Sunday matinee game of the East-West Faceoff.
Williams (2-2), down a goal, scored three times in a 2:20 span of the second period to take firm control of the game. Wes Fox opened the scoring bonanza at 12:02, taking a pass from Alex Garceau parked behind the net and tapping it in.
Once Williams had broken the ice, so to speak, the goals came in bunches. Dan Cotuno crammed in a rebound just 42 seconds later for the second Ephs goal. Jabe Bergeron wristed in a goal 1:40 after that to finish off the flurry.
St. Norbert (7-2) began the game playing very physically, hitting any white jerseyed Eph that moved on the ice. Williams rose to the occasion after a few moments and the bodies were flying up and down the ice for most of the first period.
“Williams’ stick skills are very good,” said Coghlin. “So we went more physical to counter that.”
St. Norbert got away from its physical game as play continued, especially in front of its own net, and it cost it dearly in the second period. The Green Knights were unable to keep Williams from penetrating into the low slot, and all of the Ephs’ goals came from the area between the faceoff dots and the net.
“The strength of our team has been the defense,” said Coghlin. “But I thought they were average tonight. Williams was hitting the third or fourth man into the zone, and that is the forward’s job to pick them up.”
The Green Knights opened the scoring, tallying the only goal in the first period at 13:52. St. Norbert was digging away at a loose puck in front of Williams netminder Mike Aroesty, before Terry Wilson was finally able to chip it into the net for the goal.
After the flurry of Williams goals in the second period, the Ephs scored three more in the opening five minutes of the third to put the game away.
Williams split the weekend games, losing to St. John’s before beating St. Norbert.
The Green Knights dropped both contests, after beginning the season 7-0.
“This was a very disappointing weekend,” said Coghlin. “To come all this way and lose two games is awful.”
