BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Catamounts opened their 2023-24 campaign with a 4-0 win over McGill in exhibition action from Gutterson Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon in their Home Opener presented by TD Bank.
COACH'S QUOTE
"Proud of our guys for their effort today," Head Coach Steve Wiedler said. "We will continue to work towards our identity and defining our process. After a long preseason, I'm happy for them to find some success against a different color jersey."
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After a back and forth first period the Catamounts struck first with 3:01 to play in the opening stanza. Will Zapernick forced a turnover at the Vermont blue line and UVM broke into the McGill zone on a three-on-two. Zapernick dropped the puck back to Joel Määttä and he wired a wrist shot past Alexis Shank to make it 1-0.
- 6:55 into the second period the two combined again on the Catamounts second tally. On the forecheck, Zapernick knocked away a McGill outlet pass and Määttä was able to corral the puck and skate into the slot unencumbered. With two defenders converging on him he wired another wrist shot past Shank.
- 1:23 into the third period the Catamounts stretched their advantage to three with a power play marker. Vermont was passing the puck outside the McGill defenders and Ryan Miotto found Jérémie Bucheler at the point. The defender closest to Bucheler fell on the play and he skated into the top of the slot and fired a wrist shot home.
- At the 7:59 mark of the third Vermont made it a four-goal edge with a perfectly executed breakout. Miotto spun at the Vermont goal line before firing a pass to Andrei Buyalsky that he took in stride in the neutral zone as he blew by a McGill defender. With speed Buyalskly out-waited the McGill goalie and stashed it home. Luca Münzenberger also earned an assist on the play.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Five Catamounts - Eli Barnett, Jérémie Bucheler, Ryan Miotto, Zach Dubinsky and Chris Theodore made their debut in the green and gold Saturday.
- Gabe Carriere made 15 saves to earn the shutout Saturday.
- With the win, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to King Street Center as part of the Cats Win, Community Wins initiative. Since its inauguration in 2017, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group has donated over $80,000 to local non-profits through the Cats Win, Community Wins initiative.
UP NEXT
The Catamounts will open the regular season next weekend as they travel to the North Country to face two former ECAC rivals. On Friday night Vermont will face St. Lawrence at 7 p.m. before taking on Clarkson Saturday night at 7 p.m. Both games will be available on ESPN+. Adam LaFleur the voice of the Catamounts, will have the call both nights on WVMT.
