Final Score: Vermont 7, Providence 3 | Box Score | CatamounTV Highlights
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Vermont scored three first period goals in 38 seconds and Dayna Colang scored her second career hat trick as the Catamounts defeated Providence 7-3 in Hockey East action from Gutterson Fieldhouse on Sunday.
 
The Catamounts opened the scoring 7:56 into the first period. On an individual rush Amanda Pelkey cut down the wing and skated behind the Providence net before centering a feed towards Allie Morse. Pelkey's shot deflected off Colang and was then inadvertently kicked in by a Providence defender and past Morse.
 
21 seconds later Colang struck again to give the Catamounts a two-goal lead. Vermont forced a turnover in the Providence zone and on a two-on-one Mackenzie MacNeil centered a pass that Colang roofed past Morse.
 
Vermont struck again 17 seconds later after Delia McNally forced a turnover in the neutral zone. Brittany Zuback corralled the puck skated into the zone and fed a perfect pass to McNally who broke in alone on Morse and fired a shot under the bar for her fourth goal of the season.
 
The Friars got one back on the power play a few minutes later. Brooke Simpson fired a cross-crease pass that deflected off Cassidy Carels in front before Beth Hanrahan one-timed her 13^th goal of the season past Vermont's Madison Litchfield to make it a two-goal game again.
 
With 1:19 left in the first period Colang completed her hat trick on the power play and reestablished Vermont's three-goal advantage. Taylor Willard one-timed a pass from Brittany Zuback and Colang was able to corral the rebound off Morse's pad and put it in for her second career hat trick.
 
Vermont players have only recorded four hat tricks in Division I action since 2001. Colang scored three goals at Syracuse on November 14 of this year and added another three today. Kate Lesniak (Oct. 6, 2007) and Zuback (Nov. 11, 2013) are the only other Catamounts to score three in a game.
 
Sarah Campbell extended Vermont's lead to 4-1 with a even strength goal 4:31 into the second period. Pelkey forced a turnover in the Providence zone and passed over to Campbell who one-timed a wrist shot past Morse for her fourth goal of the season. After Campbell's goal Morse was replaced in net by Sarah Bryant.
 
The Friars answered right back with their own even strength goal 32 seconds later. A Lexi Romanchuk point shot was deflected off a crowd of bodies in front of the net and Carels found the rebound and fired it home for her seventh goal of the season before the Vermont defense or Litchfield could react.
 
At the 10:38 mark of the second period Casey Leveillee took advantage of another Friars turnover and scored her second goal of the season. Leveillee stole a ill-timed breakout pass and was able to walk in alone on Bryant to reestablish the four-goal lead.
 
Midway through the third period Haley Frade drew the Friars within three on a power play opportunity. With traffic in front she was able to step into a slap shot that found the top corner for her seventh goal of the year. Frade's tally at the 10-minute mark was assisted by Romanchuk and Brooke Simpson.
 
Bridget Baker closed out the high-scoring affair with a goal on the counter attack. Amanda Drobot passed up and out of the Vermont zone to Zuback and in traffic she feathered a pass to Baker. Baker was able to use a Providence defender as a screen and her hard low shot beat Bryant for her fifth goal of the season.
 
Litchfield made 19 saves and collected her ninth win of the season.  Morse made 10 saves in 24 minutes of action while Bryant stopped 13 for Providence.
 
"It sure feels good to get off to a good start," said head coach Jim Plumer. "Our team played fast today and our speed and ability to finish really made the difference. I hope we can bottle this and bring it to the rink every game for the rest of the season."
 
Vermont returns to action next weekend as they hit the road and head to Orono as the Catamounts will face Maine in a single Hockey East contest. Faceoff with the third place Black Bears is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday February 7.
 
NOTES: 10 Vermont skaters had at least a point Sunday afternoon … Brittany Zuback picked up three assists … Amanda Pelkey led all Catamounts with six shots on goal … Katherine Pate blocked a game-high five shots … Vermont has now won four straight games against Providence.