BURLINGTON, Vt. - Five different skaters scored as the Vermont men's hockey kicked off the 2024-25 campaign with a 5-0 shutout win over McGill Sunday evening in the Home Opener presented by TD Bank.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Catamounts opened the scoring on the second shift of the game. Jack Malinski's wrist shot from the point was stopped by McGill's Fabio Iacobo but Isak Walther was right on the door step to redirect home the first UVM goal of the year. First year Michael La Starza earned the secondary assist.
- 4:03 into the second frame Luca Münzenberger doubled the Vermont lead. From the slot Dawson Good deftly dropped a pass to Münzenberger and he fired it past a screened Iacobo. Daniel Sambuco also earned an assist.
- Just 57 seconds later UVM extended its lead again during a period of four-on-four action. Jens Richards and Massimo Lombardi broke into the zone on a two-on-two rush. Lombardi held up and dropped the puck back to Sebastian Törnqvist who blasted a one-timer past Iacobo.
- With 5:58 to play in the middle frame Thomas Sinclair made it 4-0 Vermont. Jax Wismer was cycling in the corner and left the puck for Sinclair. He made a move, and the puck deflected high in the air after a play from a McGill defender. Sinclair gloved it down in the slot and wired a shot just under the glove of Iacobo. Sambuco earned his second assist of the night on the play.
- Joel Määttä added a fifth tally for the Catamounts 1:46 into the final frame. A Malinski point shot was stopped by Iacobo but the rebound just sat in the crease for Määttä to tap home.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Sebastian Törnqvist, Michael La Starza, Colin Kessler, Charlie Kinsman, Jax Wismer and Keenan Rancier all made their debuts in the green and gold Sunday evening.
- Rancier made 17 saves tonight in the first two periods and Axel Mangbo made five saves in the third to combine for the shutout.
- Simon Jellus led all skaters with four shots on goal.
- Since 2010 the Catamounts are now 7-4-0 against Canadian University teams.
- With tonight's 5-0 decision, Community Bank N.A. will donate $375 to Special Olympics Vermont. Community Bank, N.A. donates $75 per goal to Special Olympics Vermont for every goal the men's and women's team scores this season.
UP NEXT
The Catamounts will open the 2024-25 regular season next weekend as they travel to face No. 20 St. Thomas in a two-game series from St. Paul, Minnesota. The teams will faceoff at 8 p.m. (ET) on Friday and 7 p.m. on Saturday. Both games will air on CCHA TV.
As always, the game will be broadcast live on WVMT (96.3 FM/620 AM) with the voice of the Catamounts Adam Lafleur in the Handy Toyota Broadcast Booth.
