FINAL SCORE: No. 16 Providence 3, No. 9 Vermont 0
BURLINGTON, Vt. – 16^th-ranked Providence posted a 3-0 non-conference shutout of No. 9 Vermont on Monday night to capture the Sheraton/TD Bank Catamount Cup in front of a sellout crowd Gutterson Fieldhouse.
 
The loss snapped the Catamounts' seven-game winning streak as UVM dropped its first game at home this season. Vermont fell to 14-4-1 (7-3-1 HEA), while the Friars won for the seventh time in eight games and improved to 11-6-1 (6-4-0 HEA).

UVM received a standing ovation late in the first period after killing off a Providence power play, including 40 seconds of 5-on-3. The teams played a scoreless first period as the Friars held a narrow 12-11 shot advantage.
 
Providence opened the scoring at 12:43 of the second period on the power play. Brian Pinho dropped a pass to the left goal line for Noel Acciari, who quickly fired a pass across the low slot. Shane Luke was waiting at the back post and finished a one-timer past Mike Santaguida for his sixth of the year.
 
Roughly two and a half minutes later, Nick Saracino doubled the lead as he beat Santaguida high glove side with a wrist shot from the left circle. Anthony Florentino collected the lone assist on the play at the 15:08 mark.
 
Jonathan Turk hit the crossbar near the end of the second from the bottom of the right circle as he trailed a 2-on-2 rush. Jon Gillies then made a pad save at the right post on a low follow-up chance from Mike Paliotta at the point.
 
The Friars carried their 2-0 cushion into the third period and struck quickly in the first minute. Luke centered a pass to the edge of the crease for Acciari, and the co-captain quickly snuck a low shot into the net for a three-goal advantage.
 
Vermont nearly grabbed a power play goal back minutes later through Mario Puskarich, but the sophomore fanned an open look in the low slot.
 
Later in the frame, Gillies made a pair of key saves on another man advantage to preserve the shutout. UVM went 0-for-7 on the power play on the night and PC held on down the stretch for the win.
 
The shots were even at 29 as Gillies registered his 13^th career shutout. Santaguida stopped 26 shots at the other end in a losing effort.

Paliotta and Brady Shaw were each named to the All-Tournament Team, while Luke (MVP), Gillies, and Saracino earned the honor for Providence. Frank Vatrano rounded out the squad for UMass, which beat Air Force 5-1 in the early game on Monday.

Vermont returns to action after New Year's with a road contest against Yale on Saturday (Jan. 3) at 7:30 p.m. Pre-game radio coverage from Ingalls Rink begins at 7 p.m. on WVMT 620-AM and SportsJuice.com, and live video is available on the Ivy League Digital Network.
 
YALE PRE-GAME RECEPTION | Register
The UVM Alumni Association and Vermont Athletics invites all Vermont fans to join us for a family friendly pre-game reception at Anna Liffey's Irish Pub & Restaurant from 5-6:30 p.m. before our Catamounts take on the Yale Bulldogs on Saturday, Jan. 3 in New Haven, Connecticut. To register for the event, or for more information, please click here.
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Shane Luke, Providence (MVP)
Jon Gillies, Providence
Nick Saracino, Providence
Mike Paliotta, Vermont
Brady Shaw, Vermont
Frank Vatrano, UMass