WOMEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
Coming off of a runner-up performance at the second annual Windjammer Classic, the Vermont women's hockey team is wrapping up preparations to rematch with No. 10 Northeastern this weekend at Matthews Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Boston on both Saturday (Dec. 3) and Sunday (Dec. 4).
 
Live video for each contest will be provided via GoNUxstream and will be free of charge. Live stats will be accessible through StatBroadcast.
 
RELATED LINKS
Live Video
Live Stats: Saturday | Sunday
Tickets
 
ALUMNAE WEEKEND SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 3-4
All women's hockey alumnae are invited to save the date for Alumnae Weekend, taking place Feb. 3-4, 2017 around Pack the Gut presented by The Windjammer. Details will be announced shortly. To ensure that you receive updates on this and other alumnae events, please contact the Victory Club office via phone at (802) 656-0956 or email at Victory.Club@uvm.edu with your updated contact information.
 
CATAMOUNTS RECAP
Vermont jumped out to a 1-0 lead on No. 5 Clarkson last Saturday (Nov. 26) but a third period pair by the Golden Knights lifted the squad past UVM in the Windjammer Classic Championship at Gutterson Fieldhouse. The Catamounts' lone goal came in the first period, when Sarah Kelly redirected the puck on the doorstep past Clarkson goaltender Shea Tiley. A 4-for-4 performance on the penalty kill highlighted the evening for UVM while Madison Litchfield made 23 saves in the setback.
 
SCOUTING NORTHEASTERN
The Huskies (11-4-3, 7-2-2 WHEA) are undefeated in seven of their last eight games and most recently were in action on Wednesday evening (Nov. 30), taking a 5-3 decision from Providence. Northeastern's top line accounted for three goals on the night as McKenna Brand scored twice and dished out a pair of helpers.
 
Brand has registered a point in eight of the Huskies' last 10 games and ranks second in the country in goals per game (0.89). Fans should also keep an eye out for junior Denisa Krížová, whose 24 points (10-14-24) are atop her teammates. The Catamounts were mostly successful in containing Brand and Krížová during the squads' most recent meeting, surrendering only an assist by the latter.
 
Sophomore Brittany Bugalski continues to pace the Huskies in goal with a 2.04 goals against average.
 
With 16 points, NU sits in second place in Hockey East and is three short of Boston College.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Alyssa Gorecki scored for the Catamounts in each of the first two periods but Northeastern used a two-goal third to even things up in a 3-3 tie at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Nov. 18. Both teams had opportunities in overtime. The Catamounts mustered two shots on a late power play, while Northeastern had a chance via Hayley Masters after her penalty expired with mere seconds remaining.
 
UVM's last win against the Huskies came on Nov. 23, 2013 in a Saturday afternoon tilt at Gutterson Fieldhouse. Katie MacSorley opened the scoring for the visitors but the Catamounts used three unanswered tallies by Danielle Rancourt (2) and Amanda Pelkey to earn a 3-2 victory.
 
QUITE THE BAKER, WE HEAR
Senior Bridget Baker pocketed her first career hat trick last Friday against St. Cloud State as the Catamounts picked up a 5-1 win over the Huskies. The California product used shorthanded and power play tallies in the second period to help UVM to a 3-0 lead, then sealed her third goal on an empty netter in the final frame. It was the first hat trick by a Catamount since Dayna Colang accomplished the feat on Feb. 1, 2015 in a 7-3 win over Providence at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
 
She became the first player in the program's Division I history (beginning in 2001) to light the lamp in the same period on the power play and while shorthanded. The last time a Catamount did so in the same game was on Jan. 18, 2009, when Brittany Nelson scored in the second (power play) and third (shorthanded) periods, respectively in a 5-2 win at Providence.
 
PAIR OF CATAMOUNTS SNAG ALL-TOURNAMENT RECOGNITION
Baker, along with classmate and goaltender Madison Litchfield, picked up All-Tournament Team recognition at the conclusion of the Windjammer Classic last weekend. In conjunction with Baker's highlight night on Friday, Litchfield surrendered just a single goal and made 16 saves in the Catamounts' win over St. Cloud State.
 
The following evening, the Williston, Vermont native took a 1-1 deadlock into the third period against No. 5 Clarkson and finished with 23 saves against the Golden Knights.
 
NEXT UP
Following this weekend's series in Boston, the Catamounts will play five of their next six games within the confines of Gutterson Fieldhouse, beginning with a Saturday, Dec. 10 tilt against Dartmouth at 2 p.m.
 
The Windjammer and Upper Deck Pub is the presenting sponsor of the 2016-17 women's hockey season