MEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
Vermont returns to the ice this Saturday (Oct. 14) against the 17th-ranked Quinnipiac Bobcats at 4 p.m. in Hamden, Connecticut. UVM then travels to Union College on Sunday (Oct. 15) at 4 p.m. The Quinnipiac matchup will air live on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. Both games can be heard on WVMT 620-AM and CatamounTV.com with pre-game coverage starting at 3:30 p.m.

RELATED LINKS
Quinnipiac: Video | Audio | Live Stats 
Union: Video | Audio | Live Stats

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SCOUTING THE BOBCATS
Quinnipiac is 0-1-1 after two games against Hockey East schools, tying Boston College 1-1 on the road before dropping a 3-2 overtime contest at home to Boston University last weekend. The Bobcats return their top three scorers from the 2016-17 season in Landon Smith (11-18-29), Craig Martin (11-16-27), and Washington Capitals draft pick Chase Priskie (7-19-26).

Andrew Shortridge started 20 games in net last year during his rookie campaign with a 13-7-0 record, 2.08 goals against average, and a .920 save percentage; he and rookie Detroit Red Wings draft selection Keith Petruzzelli have each started one game this season. Rand Pecknold begins his 24th season as head coach at Quinnipiac with a career record of 469-280-86. He has led QU to two national title games in the last five seasons (2013 and 2016). 

SCOUTING THE DUTCHMEN
Union lost its two top scorers from 2016-17 in Hobey Baker Award finalist Mike Vecchione and Spencer Foo, who combined for 125 points last year as seniors. The Dutchmen won 25 games a year ago before falling to Penn State 10-3 in the NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinal in Cincinnati. Former Providence Friar Rick Bennett is in his seventh year as the head coach at Union and led the program to a national title in 2014.

This year, the Dutchmen are 0-3-0 after losses to Boston University, Minnesota, and Michigan Tech, with the last two coming in the Icebreaker Tournament hosted by Minnesota Duluth. Union hosts UMass on Friday night prior to the Catamounts' arrival. Sophomore Anthony Rinaldi leads the team with two goals and three points, while classmate and San Jose Sharks draft pick Jake Kupsky has started all three games in net with a 3.06 goals against average and a .906 save percentage. 

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday marks just the third all-time meeting in the Quinnipiac series and the first hosted by QU. The first meeting was a 4-1 Bobcat win on the second night of the annual Catamount Cup on Dec. 30, 2007 in Burlington. Last season, then-No. 3 Quinnipiac had its five-game unbeaten streak snapped by UVM in the title game of the second annual Friendship Four at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. 

Vermont leads the series with Union 18-14-2 but has dropped the last three meetings. Two seasons ago, UVM fell 3-2 in overtime at Messa Rink as Union stormed back from a 2-0 deficit and Foo scored the game-winner. Kevin Sneddon spent five seasons as the head coach at Union from 1998-2003 prior to accepting the same position at Vermont. UVM is 12-6-0 against ECAC schools over the last three seasons. 

HATS OFF FOR ROSS | Chat with the Cats
Ross Colton posted the first Catamount hat trick in three years on Saturday against Colorado College. It was the first hat trick since Jonathan Turk netted three goals in the 2014-15 season opener on Oct. 11, 2014 at Northeastern. Colton is one of only three players in Division I this season with four goals, along with Patrick Harper (Boston University) and Robbie Payne (Northern Michigan). The 2017 Hockey East All-Rookie selection is also tied for the national lead with two power play goals. Click here to hear this week's Chat with the Cats presented by Milton Cat with Colton. 

WHO'S NEXT
UVM travels to Ann Arbor next weekend for a two-game series against Michigan at Yost Arena. Game times are set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20 and 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21.

Handy Toyota is the presenting sponsor of the 2017-18 men's hockey season