NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College men's ice hockey team closed out its first-semester slate with a 4-1 loss to No. 5 Norwich University on Friday evening in Kreitzberg Arena. The Purple Knights went 2-1-1 in their final four contests of the semester, and carry marks of 4-8-1 overall and 2-6-1 in the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC). The Cadets, whose national ranking is according to this week's U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Division III national poll, are 10-1-1 and 8-1.

Sophomore Nic Hermary (Coquitlam, British Columbia/Melfort Mustangs) tallied his third goal of the season for Saint Michael's, while senior Justin McKenzie (Hawthorne, N.J./Don Bosco Prep) was 7-of-10 on faceoffs. Junior Eric Salzillo (Johnston, R.I./Boston Bandits) added a 6-of-13 showing, and sophomore Chris Johnson (Duxbury, Mass./Pomfret School) made 36 saves for his 22nd career 30-stop outing. He has been the only goalie to appear during his team's last 834:28 dating back to last season, the longest streak by a Purple Knight goalie in the modern era of the program, since 1982-83. His 1,076 career saves are 10 shy of Phil Fernandez's '87 total for the most by a Saint Michael's goalie by the end of his sophomore year.

Seniors Nick Pichette and Austin Surowiec, junior Alec Brandrup and first-year Ian Williams all scored for Norwich, and junior Braeden Ostepchuk made 17 saves.

Saint Michael's went on a power play just 2:47 after the opening puck drop, but Ostepchuk denied consecutive shots by sophomore Jack Ouellette (Arlington, Mass./Dexter School) and senior Josh Dickman (Kapaa, Hawaii/Saint Paul's School) a minute into the man advantage. Johnson made three stops in a 20-second span soon after the penalty ended, and Surowiec put Norwich ahead to stay at 11:54. Johnson recorded two saves and McKenzie blocked a shot in a power play that followed before Johnson notched four stops in a 15-second span later in the period. After two Johnson saves around the 30-second mark, Brandrup converted a power-play marker with 9.4 seconds left.

Despite three saves by Johnson in the opening 90 seconds of the second period, Norwich extended its lead when Pichette scored 1:33 into the stanza. During a power play that started at 4:07, Saint Michael's had two shots blocked while sophomores Colin Biebel (Roxborough Park, Colo./Walpole Express) and Sam D'Antuono (Hingham, Mass./Dexter School) both had attempts stopped. Johnson recorded 14 of his saves in the second stanza, but Williams pushed the lead to 4-0 at 15:01. Ouellette had a shot blocked for the Purple Knights' only attempt at a shot during a power play that occurred in the final three minutes of the period.

Saint Michael's was only outshot 9-6 in the third stanza, while D'Antuono had a try stopped during 4-on-4 play at 2:09. Johnson posted a shutout period, including while making two saves in a power play that began at 5:00. With less than five minutes to go, Johnson recorded another stop and Hermary won the ensuing faceoff, had a shot stopped at the other end, and sent home the rebound at 15:39. Dickman and Biebel assisted, as Biebel sent a breakout pass off the boards to send Dickman for a 2-on-1 rush with Hermary.

The Purple Knights are back in action on Jan. 10 at Tufts University for a 7 p.m. contest.