BURLINGTON, Vt. -- Jaclyn Hawkins and Cristin Allen each scored two goals as #9 Connecticut skated past Vermont in a women's Hockey East contest Saturday afternoon at Gutterson Fieldhouse. With the win, the Huskies (15-4-3, 6-2-1), now alone in second place in Hockey East, completed a weekend sweep of the Catamounts (4-15-1, 0-8-1).
"Today was a pretty disappointing game particularly in the second period when we didn't put up enough resistance against a good hockey team," said Vermont head coach Tim Bothwell. "Uncharacteristically, we lost a vast majority of the battles and races for the puck. We are capable of much better than that and need to prove it starting next weekend."
Hawkins put UConn on the board right off scoring off a faceoff 4:18 into the game and Brianna Uliasz made it 2-0 with 1:53 left in the first period. Hawkins' second of the game, coming on the power play, gave the Huskies a 3-0 lead after two stanzas. Connecticut broke it open with three in the final period starting with Allen's first goal 11 seconds into the frame. She added her second at 7:07 and Dominique Thibault capped the scoring just over a minute later.
In her third start of the season and her first against a Hockey East foe, junior goalie Ashley Walenty (Lake Placid, N.Y.) made 23 saves for the Catamounts. Jennie Bellonio stopped all 16 shots for the Huskies to record the shutout. UVM had its five-game streak with at least one power play goal snapped going 0-for-3 with an extra attacker while UConn went 2-for-4.
In its final non-league action of the season, Vermont heads west to play 10th-ranked St. Cloud State of the WCHA Friday and Saturday with an 8:00pm face off both nights (eastern time). The Catamounts return home to host Providence Friday and Saturday, Jan. 25-26, at Gutterson Fieldhouse. For ticket information, please contact the UVM Athletic Ticket Office at 1-866-4CAT-TIX or log on to uvmathletics.com. UVM students (with a valid ID) and all Rally's Round Up members are admitted free to all home women’s hockey games.