VERMONT EDGES BOSTON COLLEGE, 3-2
Sophomore Corey Carlson scores twice for Catamounts

BURLINGTON, Vt. – A wild game ended in No. 14 Vermont’s first win over No. 7 Boston College since Nov. 11, 1994. UVM sophomore Corey Carlson (Two Harbors, Minn.) scored twice and junior assistant captain Mark Lutz (Stevens Point, Wis.) had three assists as the Catamounts defeated the Eagles 3-2 in front of a raucous 50th straight sellout crowd of 4,003 at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Friday night.

The game included 55 penalty minutes and in the third period a high stick call against Boston College disallowed the potential tying goal. With the victory Vermont improves to 13-8-2 overall and 8-4-2 in Hockey East. The win for the Catamounts ends an 11-game winless streak against the Eagles. BC falls to 12-7-1 and 9-5-1 in the league with the loss.

“To gut out a one goal game against these guys is something the team should feel really proud of,” Vermont head coach Kevin Sneddon said. “There was a lot of media questions about can you beat these guys. The team remained very focused and believed in themselves and had confidence going into the game and it showed out there tonight.”

Junior co-captain Torrey Mitchell (Greenfield Park, Quebec) also scored for the Catamounts. Sophomore Brock Bradford and senior Brian Boyle both scored for the Eagles.

Boston College took a 1-0 lead just 63 seconds into the game. Bradford received a pass from defenseman Mike Brennan at the blue line and made a nice spin move to come free. He then skated in uncontested on UVM junior goalie Joe Fallon (Bemidji, Minn.) and scored his seventh goal of the season.

Carlson tied the game at one for the Catamounts with 56 seconds remaining in the opening period. With Vermont on the power play senior defenseman Ryan Gunderson (Bensalem, Pa.) made a diagonal pass to Carlson at the left circle and he fired a one timer past BC junior goalie Cory Schneider. Lutz also assisted on the play.

Vermont took a 2-1 lead when sophomore Peter Lenes (Shelburne, Vt.) setup Carlson for his second goal of the game. The score at 8:45 of the second period came after a five-minute major and game misconduct for hitting from behind against the Eagles. Working from the goal line Lenes found Carlson diving to the net in the slot for the power-play goal. Lutz also picked up his second assist of the game and it was the seventh goal this year for Carlson.

Mitchell’s blast from the left circle with 2:07 left in the second period during a 4-on-4 gave Vermont a 3-1 advantage. Freshman Bradyen Irwin (Toronto, Ontario) won a face off at the left circle back to Lutz at the left point. Lutz sent a pass over to Mitchell who fired in his ninth goal of the year.

Boston College cut the deficit to 3-2 just 1:51 into the third period with a power-play goal during a 4-on-3. Sophomore defenseman Brett Motherwell sent a pass in front off the skate of Boyle and into the back of the net. It was the ninth goal this year for Boyle.

Then with 4:04 remaining in the game BC junior Pat Gannon fired a shot from the left circle that Fallon deflected into the air. Freshman Matt Lombardi reached up and swung at the puck with his stick. The goal light went on when the puck landed in the crease but referee Scott Hansen whistled a high stick and at no point was the play ruled a goal.

Fallon made 25 saves in the victory for the Catamounts while Schneider had 25 stops in the loss for the Eagles. Vermont outshot BC 28-27 and UVM went 1-for-7 on the power play while BC went 2-for-8.

Vermont faces Boston College again on Saturday at 7:05pm at Gutterson Fieldhouse. The game will be televised on CN8 (Comcast Channel 18). There will be a t-shirt giveaway sponsored by the SGA.

GAME NOTES: Tonight’s game was televised on CSTV and marked the 11th time the men’s hockey team has been on TV this season … The Catamounts will appear on CSTV on two more occasions this year … Vermont is 46-3-8 in its 57 games with the lead after two periods in the Kevin Sneddon era … Tonight’s game marked just the second time in eight tries UVM has won when not scoring first … Carlson is the first player on the team to record two goals in a game on three occasions this season … The three assists for Lutz established a new career high for points in a game … Vermont is 6-6 against ranked teams this season.