NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The nationally-ranked Norwich University women's ice hockey team scored three third-period power-play goals to break open a one-goal game and went on to shut out the University of Southern Maine 4-0 in an ECAC Women's East game Friday at Kreitzberg Arena.

            The Cadets, tied for third in this week's USCHO.com Division III poll and fourth in the D3hockey.com poll, won their ninth consecutive game to improve to 15-2-3 overall and 14-1-0 in the league.  The Huskies dropped to 4-11-5 overall and 3-7-3 in ECAC play.

            Leading 1-0 heading into the third period, the Cadets received power-player markers from juniors Tori Charron (Tecumseh, Ontario), Renee Lortie (Cornwall, Ontario) and Brittany Sharman (Ayer's Cliff, Quebec) to put the game away.  The Cadets, who own the top power-play unit in the league, converted 3 of 5 extra-skater advantages in the final period.

            Southern Maine sophomore goalie Liz Bergstrom (Chanhassen, Minn.) kept the visitors in the game through the first two periods.  Bergstrom stoned the Cadets in the first period stopping all 11 shots on goal.

            Senior co-captain Jillayne DeBus (Howell, Mich.) finally solved Bergstrom for an unassisted goal midway through the second period.  DeBus' goal was her 11th of the season.

            Charron took advantage of a 5-on-3 advantage to net her team-high 21st marker of the season at 5:35 of the third period.  Lortie found the back of the net for the 11th time this season at 12:01, and Sharman iced the game with her fourth goal of the season with 26 seconds remaining.

            Junior Kelly Fisk (Hannibal, N.Y.) stopped nine USM shots to earn her first shutout of the season, and the 11th of her career.  Bergstrom finished the game with 26 saves.

            Junior Marie-Philip Guay (Longueil, Quebec) earned two assists for the Cadets.  Norwich finished the game with a 30-9 advantage in shots on goal.

            Southern Maine continues its weekend road trip to Vermont on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) when it plays Saint Michael's College.  Norwich looks to make it 10 in a row when it hosts Plymouth State University on Saturday (1:00 p.m.).