DURHAM, N.H. - Senior forward Robert Cronin (Plymouth, Mass.) scored two goals as the No. 18 University of New Hampshire men's hockey team defeated Vermont, 5-2, on Saturday evening at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex in Hockey East action.
Senior forward Conor Lovett (Franklin, Mass.), sophomore forward Nick Ring (Hingham, Mass.) and sophomore forward Ryan Conmy (Alexandria, Va.) each scored a goal for the Wildcats, while junior goalie Jared Whale (Calgary, Alberta) made 23 saves to earn the win. Ring added an assist for two points, while senior captain Alex Gagne (Bedford, N.H.) also had a multi-point night with two assists.
The Wildcats, who took four of the six points this weekend versus Vermont, move to 11-9-3 (3-8-2 Hockey East), while the Catamounts fall to 9-13-3 (4-9-2 Hockey East).
UP NEXT:
- Next up for the Wildcats will be a game at No. 8 Boston University on Friday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. The next home games for the 'Cats are versus No. 1 Boston College on Friday, Feb. 7 presented by Army ROTC at 7 p.m. and versus Merrimack on Saturday, Feb. 8 presented by Eastern Propane at 7 p.m.
- Tickets can be purchased at UNHWildcats.com/BuyTickets or by calling the ticket office at (603) 862-4000. Don't miss the most exciting family entertainment in New Hampshire.
Score: #18 New Hampshire 5, Vermont 2
Records: UNH (11-9-3, 3-8-2 Hockey East); UVM (9-13-3, 4-9-2 Hockey East)
Location: Durham, N.H. (Whittemore Center)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025
Attendance: 5,873
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Wildcats opened up the scoring in the first period at 14:40 when Lovett scored off a rebound from a shot by Gagne from the top of the blue line to give UNH a 1-0 advantage.
- UNH moved out to a 2-0 advantage at 16:41 on the power play as Ring laced a shot into the back of the net off a rebounded shot by sophomore forward Jason Siedem (Madison, N.J.). Sophomore forward Marty Lavins (Riga, Latvia) was also credited with an assist on the play.
- UNH continued to fend off the Catamounts as Conmy notched his team-leading 12th goal of the season with assists by Gagne and Ring at 3:28 in the second period as he sent a shot to the upper glove side of the net from the slot to give UNH a 3-0 advantage.
- UNH kept on the attack as senior forward Liam Devlin (Needham, Mass.) passed the puck from behind the net to Cronin who fired in a shot and added onto the 'Cats lead at 16:15 in the second period. Junior forward Kristaps Skrastins (Grobina, Latvia) also posted an assist on the goal.
- With the Catamounts still trailing 4-0 and on the power play, UVM went with an empty net for the extra skater and took advantage when Max Strand fired a shot to the back of the net making the score 4-1 at 12:50.
- The Wildcats extended their lead to 5-1 at 14:36 in the third period as Cronin netted his second goal of the game and 10th of the season adding to the 'Cats lead. Senior defenseman Luke Reid (Warman, Saskatchewan) and sophomore forward J.P. Turner (East Falmouth, Mass.) each tallied an assist.
- Just five seconds later, Henry Xavier scored the last goal of the game for the 5-2 final.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- UNH outshot UVM, 31-25.
- The Wildcats went 1-3 on the power play and the Catamounts went 1-5.
- Whale made 23 saves while Keenan Rancier tallied 17 saves for the Catamounts and Axel Mangbo recorded nine.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- This was Cronin's second career two goal-game as he also scored two goals versus LIU earlier this season on Nov. 9. He now has 11 career multi-point games.
- Conmy is tied for sixth in Hockey East with 12 goals on the season. He is on a three-game point streak with two goals and one assist for three points. The game-winner was his second of the season and fifth of his career.
- Reid extended his point streak to four games as he four assists during this stretch.
- UNH is now 85-33-11 all-time versus UVM.
