Vermont Takes Catamount Cup With 4-1 Win Over Colgate
Freshman forward Craig Puffer scores two goals for Catamounts

Freshman forward Craig Puffer scored two goals for the Catamounts
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 14:45  VER1-0 EV Craig Puffer (1) -
2nd 2:18  CLG1-1 EV Mike Panowyk (3)Tylor Spink/12, Tyson Spink/11
2nd 17:23  VER2-1 SH GW Anthony Petruzzelli (6)Jarrid Privitera/3
3rd 2:36  VER3-1 EV Craig Puffer (2)Conor O'Neil/2, Rob Darrar/2
3rd 17:05  VER4-1 EV Brendan Bradley (5)Yvan Pattyn/4
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Colgate  0101
Vermont  1124
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Colgate  39921
Vermont  97521
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Colgate (5-13-1)  0/2 4/8 0
Vermont (7-12-2)  0/2 4/8 1
Colgate Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Charlie Finn (L, 5-13-1)59:474 86317
Empty Net0:130     
Vermont Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Packy Munson (W, 3-2-0)60:001 38920

BURLINGTON, Vt. - Craig Puffer netted the first two goals of his college career to lift Vermont past Colgate 4-1 on Wednesday night as the Catamounts claimed the 20th annual Sheraton/TD Bank Catamount Cup title at Gutterson Fieldhouse.

Packy Munson was named the MVP of the tournament, stopping 43 of the 44 shots he faced in a pair of victories. The rookie registered 20 saves against Colgate to pick up his third win of the year, while Anthony Petruzzelli and Brendan Bradley also lit the lamp for Vermont.

The Catamounts improved to 7-12-2 (3-5-2 HEA) and won the Catamount Cup for the third time in the last four years and their sixth overall. The visiting Raiders fell to 5-13-1 (2-6-1 ECAC).

Puffer registered his first career goal unassisted at 14:45 of the first period to open the scoring. After a Colgate clearance, Puffer quickly entered the center of the Raiders' zone, deked to his left, and fired a quick snap shot under the crossbar glove side on Charlie Finn.

Vermont out-shot Colgate 9-3 in the opening 20 minutes, but the Raiders came out strong in the middle frame. The visitors equalized through Mike Panowyk less than two and half minutes elapsed as the winger deked a backhander under Munson's pads. Brothers Tyson and Tylor Spink picked up the assists on the play.

UVM was called for its first penalty of the night late in the second, but scored shorthanded for the second straight game. Jarrid Privitera skated into the Colgate zone on a 2-on-1 with Petruzzelli, who took a backhand pass and finished five-hole for a 2-1 cushion. The goal was Petruzzelli's sixth of the year to match the total from his freshman year.

Puffer added his second of the contest less than three minutes into the third as Rob Darrar found Conor O'Neil in the right circle. O'Neil knocked the puck down and dished a pass into the slot for Puffer, who spun to his forehand and slid a low shot inside the left post for a 3-1 Catamount advantage.

With under three minutes remaining, Brendan Bradley potted an insurance goal, curling around linemate Liam Coughlin and beating Finn blocker side from the left circle. Captain Yvan Pattyn collected the lone assist on the fourth goal.

Both teams finished with 21 shots on goal, and Puffer joined Munson as a member of the All-Tournament Team.

Vermont continues a six-game homestand after New Year's on Saturday (Jan. 2) with a non-conference game against New Hampshire at 7:05 p.m. Reserved and general admission tickets are available online at UVMathletics.com/Tickets or by calling 802-656-4410.

All the action will be streamed live for free at CatamounTV.com, and radio coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on WVMT 620-AM, SportsJuice.com, and the TuneIn app with Alastair Ingram on the call.

UVM will host a post-game kids conference presented by the DoubleTree. Children can stick around in the Hall of Honor after the game for the chance to ask questions to players from the men's hockey team.

CATAMOUNT CUP ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Packy Munson - Vermont (MVP)
Craig Puffer - Vermont
Tyson Spink - Colgate
Mike Panowyk - Colgate
Nick Lappin - Brown
Gage Torrel - Lake Superior State