Norwich's Sami Molu (37) with the body save on the Panther's shot as part of a 17-save game. It would be the return of the Great Northern Shootout this time brought to you by Layer Eight and the opening game of the tournament would see the battle of Vermont as the #11 Norwich Cadets would take on instate rival the Middlebury Panthers at the Ronald B Stafford Ice Arena. The game would start off well for the Cadets as they would get the early 1-0 lead just eight minutes into the game on Holden Doggett's goal. Then inside the final two minutes of the period, the Cadets would extend their lead to 2-0 on the Brady Harroun goal. The Cadets would start to take control of the game as they would extend the lead to 3-0 on the powerplay goal six minutes into the second period on the Cooper Bertrand goal. The Panthers would answer right back 17 seconds later on the goal from Andrej Hromic to get the game back to a two-goal game at 3-1. The Cadets would retake the three-goal lead with just over two minutes left in the period on the Patrick O'Neal powerplay goal to make it a 4-1 game. In the third period, the Cadets would seal the game away on three unanswered goals from Clark Kerner, Joe Nagle, and Devon Thibodeau as they would secure the 7-1 win. In the winning effort, Sami Molu would make 17 saves as they go to 5-2-1 on the season and will take on the winner of the Plattsburgh State Cardinals and the St Olaf Oels in the championship of the Great Northern Shootout. Gallery.

Middlebury's Nolan Moore (5) with the body check on the Cadets attacker as they go after the puck along the boards. Gallery.