VERMONT WOMEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
The University of Vermont women's hockey team begins Hockey East play this weekend as the Catamounts travel to face Providence and No. 9 Boston University. Vermont faces the Friars at 1 p.m. on Saturday before taking on the Terriers in a Hockey East quarterfinal rematch at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
 
RELATED LINKS
Saturday at Providence – Live Video ($) | Live Stats
Sunday at Boston U – Live Video ($) | Live Stats
 
HOCKEY EAST OPENERS
Over their 10 seasons in Hockey East the Catamounts are 4-5-1 in league openers. Vermont has won four straight Hockey East openers, including all three under Coach Plumer. Vermont is 1-0-0 when facing Providence in its league opener.
 
BAKER LEADS TEAM IN SCORING
Junior forward Bridget Baker has carried the momentum from her strong finish last season and leads the team in scoring with a goal and an assist for two points. On the last weekend of the regular season last year Baker scored the game-winning goals in consecutive 3-2 wins over Providence.
 
CATS NEED TO SOLVE SECOND PERIOD STRUGGLES
Through six games this season the Catamounts have been outscored 11-1 in the second period. In the two game series with St. Lawrence last week the Saints outscored Vermont 6-0. Last season Vermont was 12-3-1 when tied or ahead after two periods.
 
ALONG THE BOARDS FEATURES VALKAMA AND KOLOWRAT
John Lyons did a feature story on Vermont's Europeans Saana Valkama and Sammy Kolowrat as they adjust to life in college hockey. Click here to read the full story.
 
COACH PLUMER SEEKING HIS 200th WIN 
The Catamounts first win of the 2015-16 campaign will also mark the 200^th win in Coach Plumer's coaching career. 41 of Coach Plumer's wins have come at Vermont, which is a three-year record for a coach of the Catamounts, the previous mark was 25.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Providence: Like the Catamounts the Friars come into the weekend seeking their first win of the year. Providence is 0-4-0 after dropping two games to No. 3 Wisconsin in San Jose, California and home losses to Colgate and Syracuse last weekend.
 
Sophomore forward Brooke Boquist leads the Friars in scoring with two points on the year. Eight other Friars have a single point on the season.
 
Vermont is 6-0-1 in its last seven games against Providence. The Friars lead the all-time series 26-11-1. Last year the Catamounts swept a two-game series at Providence on the final weekend of the regular season.
 
No. 10 Boston University: The Terriers enter the weekend with a 3-3-0 record after being swept at home by No. 4 Clarkson last weekend. Boston University makes the trip to No. 9 Northeastern on Saturday for the Terriers third league game of the season. The Terriers are 2-0-0 in league play this season having defeated UConn and Maine on the opening weekend of the season.
 
Sophomore forward Rebecca Leslie leads the Terriers in scoring this season with two goals and six assists for eight points in six games. Freshman forward Sammy Davis leads the team with five goals.
 
Last season Vermont was 1-4-0 against the Terriers including their Hockey East Quarterfinal series. However the Catamounts win on January 24 was their first ever at Walter Brown Arena. The Terriers are 24-5-3 against Vermont all-time, including a 12-1-2 record at Walter Brown Arena.
 
KAYLA KRUK JOINS WOMEN'S HOCKEY THROUGH TEAM IMPACT
The women's hockey team officially drafted seven-year-old Shelburne, Vt. native Kayla Kruk through Team IMPACT. Kayla celebrated her draft day with the Catamounts last Saturday in a ceremony facilitated by the 501(c)(3) non-profit, Team IMPACT, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses through the power of team. Click here to read more about Kayla and Team IMPACT.
 
TEAM LEADERS
Senior Gina Repaci and junior Sarah Kelly will serve as co-captains for the University of Vermont women's hockey team this season.
 
CATAMOUNTS SELECTED SEVENTH IN HOCKEY EAST PRESEASON POLL
Boston College, last years regular season champion, was selected to win the 2016 Hockey East Title, in the 14th season of play. The Eagles received eight first-place votes and 64 points overall. Boston U was selected second with one first-place vote and 57 points overall. Northeastern was third with 50 points followed by Maine (34 points), Connecticut (32 points), New Hampshire (30 points), Vermont (29 points), Providence (20 points) and Merrimack (8 points).
 
ALL ACROSS THE MAP
The Catamounts have players from 10 different states (Alaska, California, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Vermont), two Canadian provinces (Alberta and Ontario) and two other countries (Czech Republic and Finland). Vermont has four players from Ontario more than any other state or province.
 
3RD ANNUAL PACK THE GUT CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY THE WINDJAMMER
The Vermont women's hockey team will host the third annual "Pack the Gut Challenge Presented by The Windjammer" on Friday January 29 as they face Connecticut.
 
The goal this is to break the single game Hockey East attendance record of 2,028 fans, set by Vermont in 2013, and support the local Meals on Wheels organization. 
 
The 2015-16 Vermont women's hockey campaign is brought to you by the Windjammer Restaurant and Inn.