FINAL SCORE: No. 1 North Dakota 5, Vermont 2BURLINGTON, Vt. – Christian Wolanin's first career goal halfway through the game proved to be the game-winner and top-ranked North Dakota held off Vermont for a 5-2 win to sweep a non-conference series at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Saturday night. Vermont falls to 1-4-0 (0-0-0 HEA), while North Dakota remains unbeaten at 4-0-2 (0-0-0 NCHC).
Jarrid Privitera scored both Catamount goals in the loss for his first career multi-goal game.
RELATED LINKSCatamounTV HighlightsPhoto GalleryBox Score Less than four minutes into the opening frame, Drake Caggiula got North Dakota on the board. Brock Boeser fed Caggiula down low as the senior turned to face the net and beat
Mike Santaguida with a backhander under his pads at 3:39. Nick Schmaltz picked up the second assist on the play.
The Catamounts answered at the eight minute mark of the first as Privitera stuffed home a weak angle shot at the right doorstep off the skate of Matt Hrynkiw. Privitera's linemates
Mario Puskarich and
Liam Coughlin collected the assists.
Four minutes later, Keaton Thompson sent a stretch pass down the middle of the ice for Boeser as he streaked into the UVM zone. Boeser ripped a shot high glove side from the low slot into the upper right corner to give UND a 2-1 lead after one.
Vermont dominated the early stages of the second period and finally broke through to tie the score at 9:39 when Puskarich entered the zone and fired a wrist shot on net. Hrynkiw made the initial save, but the puck dropped to his left and Privitera beat the junior low stick side for a 2-2 deadlock. Coughlin added his second assist of the night.
Only 24 seconds later, Wolanin restored the North Dakota lead for good when he tipped home a point shot from Tucker Poolman into the upper right corner. The play was reviewed for a potential high stick but the goal was confirmed and UND led 3-2.
UVM earned a late power play in the second, and
Kevin Irwin rung the left post with a heavy slap shot from between the circles.
Brady Shaw nearly equalized at the tail end of the power play but Hrynkiw made a glove stop at the right pipe.
North Dakota sealed the victory with a solid third period, adding an insurance goal through Bryn Chyzyk on a centering pass from Luke Johnson five minutes in. Troy Stecher had a slap shot deflect through Santaguida's pads with five minutes remaining in regulation to cap off the scoring.
Santaguida closed the night with 31 saves and finished the weekend with 70 stops, while Hrynkiw made 27 saves for the second straight game to claim the win. The teams went a combined 0-for-5 on the power play.
Vermont begins Hockey East play on Thursday (Oct. 29) as it opens a home-and-home series at 7 p.m. against Northeastern at Matthews Arena. Pre-game radio coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on WVMT 620-AM and SportsJuice.com with
Alastair Ingram and Andy Merritt on the call. Live video is also available for free via GoNU.com.
PRE-GAME ALUMNI RECEPTIONThe UVM Alumni Association invites all alumni, parents and friends to cheer on the Catamounts as they take on the Northeastern Huskies on Thursday night. A pre-game reception will be held from 5-6:30 p.m. at Our House East (52 Gainsborough St., Boston, MA 02115) before the 7 p.m. game at Matthews Arena. Fans can
click here to register for the pre-game event.
