Four goals, countless hits and one error were on the box score for Norwich, which leveraged three second-period goals to snap a 1-1 tie and ultimately beat Babson 4-1 on the outdoor rink at Frozen Fenway.
Sophomore Shane Gorman and freshman Doug Lindensmith each scored two goals for the nation’s No. 1 team in Division III, while Parker Carroll stopped 18 of 19 shots in the win.
“Once we got going, we were pretty good tonight,” said Norwich coach Mike McShane. “We had a defensive turnover that led to their goal in the first period, but other than that, we played a pretty clean game. I thought we did a good job throwing pucks to the net in order to create some opportunities and they happened to go in the net. Gorman and Lindensmith both had big games for us and the whole experience was really something great.”
Following the first period where Norwich dominated in shots by a 17-6 margin, but was tied on the scoreboard 1-1, the second period completely changed the complexion of the game in just a few minutes. At 3:12, Lindensmith scored his first of two power-play goals from behind the Babson goal when he banked a shot off Cody Carlson’s skate at the top of the crease past goalie Zeke Testa for a 2-1 lead.
Four minutes later, Gorman scored his second goal of the game in similar fashion as he moved down the left boards below the goal line and through the puck towards the front of the net. The puck caromed off Testa’s stick into the goal and the lead was 3-1. Lindensmith capped off the scoring with just over 90 seconds remaining when he took a beautiful pass from Pierre Oliver-Cotnoir and scored five-hole on Testa from the slot.
“I thought we turned a corner tonight in terms of our level of play,” noted Babson coach Jamie Rice. “You know that other team is pretty talented and when you are going good, you kind of make your own puck luck. They got some good bounces tonight, but they were aggressive in going to the net and got rewarded for it. The result is disappointing, but it doesn’t take away from the event and the experience these kids had tonight. It’s pretty special to be the first D-III team to play in Fenway and during its 100-year anniversary.”
The third period saw several strong chances for both teams that were thwarted by each goaltender.
“The Red Sox, the Fenway group, just everybody has been terrific to the schools and the players,” said McShane. “Yesterday, the rain kind of got in the way of our practice here, but we got the grand treatment and tour in the ballpark, which was really special. We had great fan support as always and a lot of media made the trip down for this game, so I am sure it was something these kids will always remember.
“And yeah, it was nice to come away with the win.”
