BURLINGTON, Vt. - Five different skaters scored for 12th-ranked Vermont (1-1-1) as they defeated 11th-ranked St. Lawrence (4-1-0) on Friday night at Gutterson Fieldhouse. The Catamounts earn their first victory of the 2023-24 campaign.
COACH'S QUOTE
"It was great to get off to a quick start in scoring," Head Coach Jim Plumer said. "We finished some quality chances early in the first and I thought that led to a great period all around. It's nice to get the offense going and I am hoping we can clean things up on our own end tomorrow. I expect St. Lawrence to give us their best tomorrow."
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Vermont started the scoring 3:56 into the contest. Lily Humphrey caused a St. Lawrence turnover leading to a 2-on-1 rush for UVM. Alaina Tanski dropped the puck back to Humphrey on the break who scored her second goal of the season. Krista Parkkonen was credit for an assist as well.
- The Catamounts struck again less than a minute later. Natálie Mlýnková threaded a pass through the Saints' defense in transition to Maddy Skelton. Skelton lifted the puck from the left side of the slot into the top right corner. Bella Parento recorded the secondary assist.
- St. Lawrence responded just 52 seconds into the second period to cut the score to 2-1. Lum Taylor dished the puck to Julia Gosling in the slot for the one-timer goal. Katina Duscio also tallied an assist on the score.
- Vermont quickly regained their two-goal lead 2:05 into the second period. Parento led a 3-on-1 rush for UVM as she found Beecher at the top of the crease. Beecher, with her back hand, snuck the puck past Saints' goalie Emma-Sofie Nordstrom (7 saves).
- The Catamounts extended the margin to three behind Beecher's second goal of the contest. Beecher intercepted a St. Lawrence pass in their defensive zone and skated across the mouth of the goal. While diving, she tucked the puck in lower right corner to put Vermont up 4-1.
- UVM netted their third goal of the second frame on a power play 11:06 into the period. Mlýnková found Evelyne Blais-Savoie who one-timed the puck from the point for her first goal of the season. Parkkonen received her second assist of the contest on the tally.
- The Saints continued the high scoring second with a goal a minute later. Abby Hehl rifled a pass across ice to Aly McLeod. McLeod was able to fire a goal past Jessie McPherson (32 saves) as she came across the crease. Sarah Marchand was credited with an assist on the goal.
- Mlýnková netted her first goal of the season 4:17 into the third period. Beecher fed Mlýnková who backhanded the puck from the faceoff circle into the top left corner of the goal. Skelton also tallied an assist on the play.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Vermont blocked 25 shots Friday night, highlighted by five from Parkkonen.
- McPherson racked up 32 saves, her second consecutive game with 30 or more saves and her seventh all time.
- 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
Vermont heads to St. Lawrence to close out the home-and-home series Saturday in Canton, New York. Puck drop from Appleton Arena is slated for 3 p.m. All the action will be streamed live on ESPN+.
