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No. 9 Vermont at Yale | Jan. 3, 2015, 7:30 p.m.
Video | Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes

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VERMONT MEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
The ninth-ranked Vermont men's hockey team (14-4-1, 7-3-1 HEA) plays its first game of 2015 on Saturday (Jan. 3) at 7:30 p.m. with a trip to face the Yale Bulldogs at Ingalls Rink. Pre-game radio coverage begins at 7 p.m. from New Haven, Connecticut on WVMT 620-AM and SportsJuice.com, and a live pay-per-view video stream is available via 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 in New Haven, Connecticut. To register for the event, or for more information, please click here.

SKATE WITH THE CATS (JAN. 6) | Childhood Cancer Video
The men's hockey team will host a public Skate with the Cats next Tuesday (Jan. 6) at Gutterson Fieldhouse from 4:30-5:30 p.m. to promote childhood cancer awareness and research. Brothers Alexx Privitera and Jarrid Privitera helped to organize the event, which is open to fans of all ages. Fans are encouraged to make a donation to help aid cancer patients and fund research. Proceeds will be donated to a local children's cancer charity in Vermont and The Ashley Lauren Foundation, whose mission is to bring hope and help to children who have been diagnosed with cancer in the Priviteras' home state of New Jersey.

SETTING THE SCENE
Off to its best start 19-game start since the 1995-96 season, Vermont opens 2015 against Yale at Ingalls Rink tonight in non-conference play. UVM continues a stretch of eight straight games against non-league opponents, which wraps up next Sunday afternoon at Dartmouth. The Catamounts had their seven-game winning streak snapped on Monday by 16th-ranked Providence, which had been the longest active unbeaten stretch in Division I. Vermont has won 10 of its last 13 games dating back to Nov. 7 and is out-scoring its opponents 32-12 during that span.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS | Website
Yale has won six of its last eight games overall and is coming off a 3-0 shutout of Holy Cross on the road on Tuesday. John Hayden, who is currently playing with Team USA at the IIHF World Junior Championships, leads the Bulldogs with seven assists and 10 points. Fellow sophomore Mike Doherty has scored a team-high four goals. Alex Lyon has started 11 of Yale's 12 games in net with a 6-3-2 record, 1.82 goals against average, and .933 save percentage. Keith Allain is in his ninth year as the head coach in New Haven.

SERIES HISTORY
Yale has a slight advantage (28-26-5) in the all-time series as Saturday marks the 60th meeting between the schools. Last year, the Catamounts and Bulldogs skated to a 3-3 tie at Gutterson Field-house as Chris McCarthy forced overtime with just 52 seconds left. The last matchup in New Haven was a 3-0 Yale win on Dec. 8, 2010 when the Bulldogs were the top-ranked team in the country. UVM is 10-13-2 all-time on the road against Yale at Ingalls Rink.

CATAMOUNT CUP RECAP | Highlights: Air Force | Providence
Vermont split a pair of games in the 19th annual Sheraton/TD Bank Catamount Cup on Sunday and Monday at Gutterson Fieldhouse. Brady Shaw's wraparound power play goal early in the third period lifted Vermont past Air Force 4-2 to open the tournament. The Catamounts pushed their winning streak to seven straight and collected the 750th victory in program history. Providence shut out Vermont 3-0 on Monday behind 29 saves from Jon Gillies to claim the Catamount Cup title, as UVM suffered its first home and non-league losses of the season.

HISTORIC START
With a 14-4-1 overall record, Vermont has posted the best 19-game start to a season since the 1995-96 campaign (14-3-2) when the Cats reached the NCAA Frozen Four for the first time in school history. That squad beat Yale 4-3 in its 19th contest but dropped to 14-4-2 with a loss to St. Lawrence in game 20 on Jan. 19, 1996. UVM is 7-1-0 at home and came within one victory of matching the 1987-88 team, which won its first eight games at Gutterson. The Catamounts' 7-3-1 record in Hockey East play marks the fastest league start since their final season in the ECAC in 2004-05 (7-2-2).

WHO'S NEXT | Schedule
Vermont travels to Hanover, New Hampshire next Sunday (Jan. 11) for a 4 p.m. faceoff against former ECAC rival Dartmouth. Pre-game coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. from Thompson Arena on WVMT 620-AM and SportsJuice.com with Alastair Ingram and Joe Gervais on the call. Live video is available on a pay-per-view basis via the Ivy League Digital Network.