BURLINGTON, Vt. - Six different Wildcats found the back of the net as the No. 16 University of New Hampshire men's hockey team defeated Vermont, 6-3, on Saturday evening at Gutterson Fieldhouse in Hockey East action.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 13-8-1 (6-5-1 Hockey East), while the Catamounts fall to 11-12-1 (5-8-1 Hockey East).
UNH's 13-8-1 start to the season is its best in 11 years when the Wildcats were 14-6-2 in 2012-13. The 6-5-1 Hockey East record is the 'Cats best start in seven years when they were 6-3-3 in 2016-17.
Freshman forward Ryan Conmy (Alexandria, Va.), senior alternate captain Harrison Blaisdell (Regina, Saskatchewan), freshman forward J.P. Turner (East Falmouth, Mass.), junior forward Liam Devlin (Needham, Mass.), junior defenseman Colton Huard (Foothill Ranch, Calif.) and freshman forward Marty Lavins (Riga, Latvia) each scored for the Wildcats.
Sophomore forward Morgan Winters (Osprey, Fla.) posted three assists for three points, while sophomore goalie Tyler Muszelik (Long Valley, N.J.) made 28 saves to earn the win.
UP NEXT:
- UNH will play No. 1 Boston University and Merrimack at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 2-3 at 7 p.m. Friday versus the Terriers is Blue Out BU presented by Service Credit Union as there will be a Blue Foam Batons Giveaway. Then on Saturday versus the Warriors is presented by Kennebunk Savings Bank and is Youth Sports Night with a Helmet Decals giveaway and Postgame Autographs.
- Go to UNHWildcats.com/Tickets.or call the ticket office at (603) 862-4000 to catch the most exciting family entertainment in New Hampshire.
Score: #16 New Hampshire 6, Vermont 3
Records: UNH (13-8-1, 6-5-1 Hockey East); UVM (11-12-1, 5-8-1 Hockey East)
Location: Burlington, Vt. (Gutterson Fieldhouse)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024
Attendance: 3,150
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The 'Cats took an early 1-0 lead when Conmy scored on a power play from the slot sending the puck to the glove side of the net at 7:18. Winters and senior defenseman Luke Reid (Warman, Saskatchewan) each posted an assist on the goal.
- Just 1:13 later at 8:31, Blaisdell netted a short-handed goal when a pass from junior captain Alex Gagne (Bedford, N.H.) sent him on a breakaway as he fired a puck from the slot to the back of the net for the 2-0 advantage. Junior forward Connor Sweeney (North Andover, Mass.) also recorded an assist.
- UNH extended the lead to 3-0 at 13:22 when Turner scored on a one-timer from the left faceoff circle. Huard and junior forward Rober Cronin (Plymouth, Mass.) each tallied an assist.
- After Jen Richards put the Catamounts on the board at 17:17, the Wildcats posted their fourth goal of the first period when Devlin sent a shot to the upper glove side corner of the net from the left faceoff circle at 19:26 off a pass by senior forward Nick Cafarelli (Middleton, Mass.).
- Chris Theodore cut the UNH lead to 4-2 at 7:33 of the second period, but the Wildcats answered with a goal by Huard with just 6.5 seconds left in the period to make it a 5-2 contest. Huard scored on a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle off a pass from Winters. Reid also recorded an assist on the goal.
- Richards scored a short-handed goal at 16:29 of the third period to cut the deficit to 5-3, but Lavins cliched the win with an empty-net goal with 26 seconds remaining for the 6-3 final. Winters and LeClerc each posted an assist.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- UNH outshot UVM, 38-31.
- The Wildcats went 1-5 on the power play, while the Catamounts went 0-5.
- Muszelik recorded 28 saves for the Wildcats to improve to 5-3-0 on the year, while Gabe Carriere tallied 32 saves for the Catamounts and is now 11-12-1.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- UNH is now 84-32-11 all-time versus Vermont and 38-18-5 at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
- This is the second time this season that Winters has recorded three assists as he also posted three assists at UConn on Jan. 19.
- Conmy leads the team with 12 goals and 24 points.
- Huard is first on the team with 13 assists.
- The Wildcats have scored five short-handed goals this season.
