# 1947–48 Norwich Cadets men's ice hockey season

The 1947–48 Norwich Cadets men's ice hockey season was the 14th season of play for the program but first under the oversight of the NCAA. The Cadets represented Norwich University and were coached by Gerard Derosier in his 1st season.

## Season

Norwich entered the season with an ambitious 12-game schedule and a new head coach to lead the team. Boston University grad, Gerard Derosier took over the club and was looking to provide a bit of permanence for a program that had been playing off and on for the past 40 years. The biggest trouble early on was getting ice time as the Cadets still were relying on an outdoor rink. Fortunately, the weather consented to allowing the surface on Sabine Field to freeze in time for the opening match with Vermont. However, A lack of practice time led to the Cadets getting shutout despite inspired play from team captain Sterling Melendy.
The team was able to get in a significant amount of practice time over the next three weeks as they played just 2 more games in January. While Norwich lost both matched, the team was trending upwards and were finally able to get into the win column in the rematch with Vermont. The team took control of the game early and stayed ahead, eventually building a 7–2 lead. Vermont had a furious attempt to tie the game late but the Cadets were able to hold off their opponents for the victory.
After a second win, the team travelled south for a swing through Boston. The trip could have hardly started worse with a 6–18 defeat to Northeastern. While the two subsequent games were much closer, Norwich lost both matches and had no chance of making the conference postseason. Despite the futility of their situation, the team rallied once they got back home and reeled off four straight wins to bright themselves up to an even record. Though they were still well out of the NEIHL playoffs, the Cadets had a chance at a winning record if they could take down Colgate. The Red Raiders were one of the top teams that season but that didn't deter Norwich. The Cadets found themselves down 5–2 early in the third period before attempting to stage a comeback. Norwich scored three goals in the third, unfortunately the Red Raiders were able to slip one more past Switzer to escape with a win.

## Standings

1947–48 NCAA Independent ice hockey standingsvte :
| | Intercollegiate | Intercollegiate | Intercollegiate | Intercollegiate | Intercollegiate | Intercollegiate | Intercollegiate | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | Pct. | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Army | 16 | 11 | 4 | 1 | .719 | 78 | 39 | 16 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 78 | 39 |
| Bemidji State | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | .000 | 13 | 36 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 37 | 63 |
| Boston College | 19 | 14 | 5 | 0 | .737 | 126 | 60 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 126 | 60 |
| Boston University | 24 | 20 | 4 | 0 | .833 | 179 | 86 | 24 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 179 | 86 |
| Bowdoin | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | 45 | 68 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 56 | 73 |
| Brown | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 61 | 91 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 61 | 91 |
| California | 10 | 2 | 8 | 0 | .200 | 45 | 62 | 17 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 87 | 89 |
| Clarkson | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | .458 | 67 | 39 | 17 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 96 | 54 |
| Colby | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 | 28 | 41 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 28 | 41 |
| Colgate | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | 54 | 34 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 83 | 45 |
| Colorado College | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | .643 | 84 | 73 | 27 | 19 | 8 | 0 | 207 | 120 |
| Cornell | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 3 | 43 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 43 |
| Dartmouth | 23 | 21 | 2 | 0 | .913 | 156 | 76 | 24 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 156 | 81 |
| Fort Devens State | 13 | 3 | 10 | 0 | .231 | 33 | 74 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Georgetown | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 21 |
| Hamilton | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | – | – |
| Harvard | 22 | 9 | 13 | 0 | .409 | 131 | 131 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 135 | 140 |
| Lehigh | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | .000 | 8 | 95 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 108 |
| Massachusetts | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 1 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 30 |
| Michigan | 18 | 16 | 2 | 0 | .889 | 105 | 53 | 23 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 141 | 63 |
| Michigan Tech | 19 | 7 | 12 | 0 | .368 | 87 | 96 | 20 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 91 | 97 |
| Middlebury | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | .607 | 111 | 68 | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 127 | 74 |
| Minnesota | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 78 | 73 | 21 | 9 | 12 | 0 | 100 | 105 |
| Minnesota–Duluth | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | .500 | 21 | 24 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 28 |
| MIT | 19 | 8 | 11 | 0 | .421 | 93 | 114 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 93 | 114 |
| New Hampshire | 13 | 4 | 9 | 0 | .308 | 58 | 67 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 58 | 67 |
| North Dakota | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 | 51 | 46 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 103 | 68 |
| North Dakota Agricultural | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | .600 | 27 | 28 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 29 |
| Northeastern | 19 | 10 | 9 | 0 | .526 | 135 | 119 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 135 | 119 |
| Norwich | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | 38 | 58 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 56 | 70 |
| Princeton | 18 | 8 | 10 | 0 | .444 | 65 | 72 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 79 | 79 |
| St. Cloud State | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | 55 | 35 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 73 | 55 |
| St. Lawrence | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 65 | 27 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 95 | 50 |
| Suffolk | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tufts | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 17 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 15 |
| Union | 9 | 1 | 8 | 0 | .111 | 7 | 86 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 86 |
| Williams | 11 | 3 | 6 | 2 | .364 | 37 | 47 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 2 | – | – |
| Yale | 16 | 5 | 10 | 1 | .344 | 60 | 69 | 20 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 89 | 85 |
1947–48 New England Intercollegiate Hockey League standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Boston University † | 13 | 12 | 1 | 0 | .923 | 86 | 40 | 24 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 179 | 86 |
| Boston College * | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | .900 | 77 | 29 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 126 | 60 |
| Northeastern | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 108 | 79 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 135 | 119 |
| Bowdoin | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | .500 | 32 | 38 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 56 | 73 |
| MIT | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 62 | 87 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 93 | 114 |
| Middlebury | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | .333 | 27 | 48 | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 127 | 74 |
| New Hampshire | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | .300 | 42 | 56 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 58 | 67 |
| Norwich | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | .286 | 25 | 50 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 56 | 70 |
| Fort Devens State | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | .273 | 30 | 55 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Colby | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | .200 | 17 | 27 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 28 | 41 |
| † indicates conference champion * indicates conference tournament champion |||||||||||||||

## Schedule and results

| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Record |
| Regular Season |||||
| January 10 | Vermont $^†$* | Sabine Field Rink • Northfield, Vermont | L 0–2 | 0–1–0 |
| January 16 | at Middlebury | McCullough Arena • Middlebury, Vermont | L 3–9 | 0–2–0 (0–1–0) |
| January 28 | at New Hampshire | UNH Ice Rink • Durham, New Hampshire | L 5–7 | 0–3–0 (0–2–0) |
| February 4 | at Vermont $^†$* | Burlington, Vermont | W 7–5 | 1–3–0 |
| February 7 | Fort Devens State | Sabine Field Rink • Northfield, Vermont | W 3–2 | 2–3–0 (1–2–0) |
| February 9 | at Northeastern | Boston Arena • Boston, Massachusetts | L 6–18 | 2–4–0 (1–3–0) |
| February 10 | at Boston University | Boston Arena • Boston, Massachusetts | L 3–7 | 2–5–0 (1–4–0) |
| February | at Fort Devens State | Skating Club of Boston Rink • Allston, Massachusetts | L 2–5 | 2–6–0 (1–5–0) |
| February 13 | Middlebury | Sabine Field Rink • Northfield, Vermont | W 3–2 | 3–6–0 (2–5–0) |
| February 24 | Vermont $^†$* | Sabine Field Rink • Northfield, Vermont | W 4–3 | 4–6–0 |
| February 28 | at Paul Smith's College* | Olympic Stadium • Lake Placid, New York | W 7–2 | 5–6–0 |
| March 2 | Saint Michael's* | Sabine Field Rink • Northfield, Vermont | W 6–2 | 6–6–0 |
| March 5 | Colgate* | Sabine Field Rink • Northfield, Vermont | L 5–6 | 6–7–0 |
| *Non-conference game. |||||
† Vermont fielded a club team at this time Note: Some accounts have Norwich with a record of 7–7 for 1948, however, contemporary accounts have the team finishing on March 5 with a 6–7 record.