WOMEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
In a three-way tie for third place in Hockey East, the Vermont women's hockey team (10-7-5, 6-3-3 WHEA) heads to No. 10 Boston University this weekend just beyond Boston's Commonwealth Avenue. The series begins at 3 p.m. on Saturday (Jan. 14) before wrapping up at the same time on Sunday (Jan. 15) at Walter Brown Arena.
 
Free live video of both games will be available through Campus Insiders, while fans can also follow along with live stats through SIDEARM Stats.
 
RELATED LINKS
Saturday: Video | Live Stats
Sunday: Video | Live Stats
 
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 around Pack the Gut presented by The Windjammer. Alumnae attending and in need of hotel accommodations are encouraged to contact The Windjammer Inn at (802) 862-6585, requesting the Pack The Gut room block.
 
For additional 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.
 
'PACK THE GUT' PRESENTED BY THE WINDJAMMER SCHEDULED FOR FEB. 3
The Catamounts on Friday, Feb. 3 will host the 4th annual 'Pack The Gut Challenge' presented by The Windjammer in conjunction with the team's 7 p.m. game against New Hampshire. All tickets are just $2 and fans are encouraged to team up in an attempt to break the Hockey East attendance record of 2,028, set in the inaugural iteration of Pack the Gut in November 2013. UVM students will be admitted to the game free with valid ID.
 
For additional details on Pack The Gut, click here.
 
CATAMOUNTS RECAP
UVM hits the ice again after sweeping a weekend series against Maine last Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 7-8) in Burlington. Bridget Baker had both game-winning goals as the Catamounts finished the season series winners of all three games for the first time since 2013-14.
 
Vermont's top line of Baker, Alyssa Gorecki and Saana Valkama combined for nine points on the weekend including six in the series finale. Each of the three notched a goal and an assist. In Saturday's win, senior captain Sarah Kelly lit the lamp in each of the final two periods, recording her first career multi-goal game. Melissa Black and Madison Litchfield preserved the victories in goal on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
 
SCOUTING BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Boston University (12-8-2, 7-7-1 WHEA) reentered the USCHO Poll this week, taking the 10th position while also garnering six votes in the USA Today Poll. That record in conference play gives the Terriers 15 points, even with UVM and New Hampshire for third place. BU was most recently dealt a 2-1 setback at Connecticut on Tuesday (Jan. 10) after battling to a 1-1 tie with Boston College last Saturday (Jan. 7). That came in spite of the fact that the team averages 3.45 goals per game, the fifth-best across Division I.
 
Fans should keep an eye out for BU's power play unit which is converting at a rate of 18.4 percent. That presents an interesting matchup given the Cats' standing on the penalty kill (92.1 percent).
 
Graduate student Mary Parker has emerged as one of several integral offensive components, posting 27 points (17-10-27) and 0.77 goals per game, the latter of which ranks fifth in the country. Senior Victoria Hanson continues to pace the squad between the pipes with an 8-5-1 record and 2.28 goals against average.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Alyssa Gorecki broke a 2-2 tie with less than five minutes remaining as the Catamounts upset then-No. 9 BU at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Oct 9. Melissa Black also made a season-high 38 stops to help UVM secure a win to kick off the Hockey East schedule for the sixth consecutive season. Samantha Sutherland lit the lamp twice for BU while Hanson kept 36 pucks out on the day.
 
The Catamounts own the largest single-game margin of victory in series history, posting a 17-0 result in the first meeting of the sides on Jan. 27, 1996. Although the Terriers have had the upper hand overall since then, UVM has come away with the 'W' in two of the last three matchups, including a 4-2 road topping in last season's Hockey East Quarterfinals. The Green and Gold have never swept the Terriers in the regular season series.
 
ON A ROLL
UVM is riding one of its hottest streaks in recent memory, boasting a record of 6-1-1 since the beginning of December. That represents the team's best run over an eight-game period since the 2013-14 season when the Catamounts went 7-1-0 to culminate a program-best 18-win campaign in which the team reached the Hockey East Semifinals. In addition, Vermont is without a regulation loss since Nov. 26.
 
DON'T 'MIND' IF WE DO
After posting a 2-0-1 mark in the month of December with a 1.60 goals against average, Melissa Black was honored by Hockey East as the league's Goaltender of the Month. The Newmarket, Ontario native helped the Catamounts to a pair of victories at then-No. 10 Northeastern over the weekend of Dec. 3-4, then preserved a 2-2 decision at Gutterson Fieldhouse as UVM skated to a tie with Yale (Dec. 30). Black's recognition also coincided with Alyssa Gorecki's selection as the runner-up Warrior Hockey Player of the Month.
 
With a season-long goals against average of 1.48, Black's fellow netminder Madison Litchfield leads Hockey East and ranks fifth in the nation. She made 26 saves last Sunday against Maine.
 
LITCHFIELD IN THE RECORD BOOK
Litchfield received the win in goal last Sunday (Jan. 8), notching the 27th victory of her career to enter a tie with former Catamount goaltender Roxanne Douville (2010-14) for the Division I program record in that category. Only Tiffany Hayes sits ahead of her, gathering 28 wins from 1999-2003, during which UVM elevated to Division I competition.
 
A local product from Williston, Vermont, Litchfield also has registered 1901 saves donning the Green and Gold, which stands fifth all-time. She needs 22 more stops to match Kristen Olychuck (2007-10).
 
PRETTY SPECIAL IF YOU ASK US
Vermont has enjoyed recent success on special teams, particularly with its penalty killing unit. Catamount opponents have netted just seven goals on 89 power play opportunities, putting UVM at 92.1 percent on the kill, boasting the fourth best unit in the land. Only Colgate (93.8 percent), St. Lawrence (93.1 percent) and Ohio State (92.3 percent) are ahead of UVM.
 
The Cats last surrendered a power play goal on Nov. 20 against Connecticut, constructing a perfect stretch of 656 minutes, 44 seconds of game time and eliminating 38 power plays since then. It is the longest active stretch in the country, with Ohio State clocking in at second with 35 straight since Oct. 15.
 
NEXT UP
The Catamounts next weekend will conclude a four-game stretch against ranked opponents, welcoming No. 6 Boston College to Gutterson Fieldhouse on Friday, Jan. 20 (1 p.m.) and Saturday, Jan. 21 (2 p.m.).
 
Fans are encouraged to note that the Jan. 20 game against BC was originally slated to begin at 2 p.m., but was pushed up to 1 p.m.
 
The Windjammer and Upper Deck Pub is the presenting sponsor of the 2016-17 women's hockey season