WOMEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
The Vermont Catamounts travel to North Andover, Massachusetts for a one-game series against the Merrimack Warriors Friday afternoon.

The Hockey East matchup is slated for 3 p.m. at Lawler Rink. Fans can watch the Catamounts on Merrimack Sports Network using the link below.
 
RELATED LINKS
WATCH | STATS | Game Notes (.pdf)

SCOUTING MERRIMACK
The Warriors enters their eighth game of the season with a 4-1-2 (1-1-1 WHEA) record. Their point total through three league games puts them in fifth place in Hockey East. Merrimack recently fell 3-1 to No. 6 Boston College the night before the Catamounts faced the Eagles. They then went on to beat UConn 3-1 the following day on the road. Senior forward Katelyn Rae paces the Merrimack offense with five goals and seven points, scoring at a point-per-game rate. Dominique Kremer and Gabby Jones lead the Warriors with three assists. Senior goaltender Samantha Ridgewell leads Hockey East with 428:16 in net, posting a 1.26 GAA and .959 SV% in that time. Ridgewell was recently named Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season. Merrimack finished 11-20-3 (6-16-2 WHEA) last season for ninth in conference to miss the Hockey East playoffs.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Friday afternoon's game marks the 10th all-time meeting between Vermont and Merrimack, dating back to their first game in January 2016. Vermont has a 3-5-1 record against the Warriors, but has taken three of the last five meetings including two at Lawler Rink. The Cats have outscored Merrimack 13-11 that stretch. UVM swept the Warriors the last time they visited Lawler Rink in October 2017. Taylor Flaherty potted two goals on the power play for the Catamounts and Val Caldwell chipped in two assists. Alyssa Gorecki also added an assist and seven shots on goal in the two-game road series for Vermont. Ève-Audrey Picard leads the Vermont skaters in the last five meetings against the Warriors with a goal and two assists.
 
LAST WEEKEND
The Catamounts split results last weekend with a 2-1 win at UNH Friday (Oct. 19) and 3-0 loss to No. 6 Boston College (Oct. 20). Saana Valkama and Ève-Audrey Picard registered their second goals of the season to power Vermont over UNH. Theresa Schafzahl registered her first career point with an assist on Valkama's opening goal, which was the first time the Cats scored first this season. Kristina Shanahan also assisted on the Valkama goal. Melissa Black stopped 22 shots in net for Vermont. The Catamounts travelled to BC the following day, but were shutout by the sixth-ranked Eagles. Schafzahl, Picard, and Maude Poulin-Labelle led UVM with four shots on goal at Conte Forum and Black registered 22 saves for the second consecutive game.

MILESTONE WATCH
Two Catamounts are nearing 60 career points to climb the all-time points list in UVM history. Alyssa Gorecki sits on 59 points and is tied with Torrey Dennis '01 for the seventh-most points in the history of the program. The senior captain registered a goal and two assists against Quinnipiac earlier this season to add to her point total. Ève-Audrey Picard has two goals this season to give her 58 career points. The UVM junior's points include 32 goals, which is the sixth-most in program history.  
  
CATS IN THE PROS
Amanda Pelkey '15 joined Mackenzie MacNeil '18 as a UVM alumna to register a point in the pros this season. Pelkey assisted on the game-winning goal for the Boston Pride who went on to beat Rachael Ade '17 and the Connecticut Whale 4-2. Ade registered a shot on goal from the point for the Whale. Madison Litchfield '17 is in her sophomore season with Boston. Taylor Willard '18 has seen action in all four games for the Montreal Canadiennes and is tied for a team-high plus-3 rating. MacNeil has registered one point in two games this season with the Toronto Furies, and joined by Brittany Zuback '15 who is in her second year with the team. Gina Repaci '16 has skated in all four games with the Markham Thunder.

• Amanda Pelkey '15, Forward, Boston Pride (NWHL): 0-1-1 (2GP)
• Madison Litchfield '17, Goalie, Boston Pride (NWHL): 0.00 SV%, 0.00 GAA (0 GP)
• Rachael Ade '17, Defense, Connecticut Whale (NWHL): 0-0-0 (2 GP)
• Taylor Willard '18, Defense, Montreal Canadiennes (CWHL): 0-0-0 (4 GP)
• Mackenzie MacNeil '18, Forward, Toronto Furies (CWHL): 0-1-1 (2 GP)
• Brittany Zuback '15, Forward, Toronto Furies (CWHL): 0-0-0 (3 GP)
• Gina Repaci '16, Defense, Markham Thunder (CWHL): 0-0-0 (4 GP)

NEXT UP
The Catamounts return to Gutterson Fieldhouse Tuesday (Oct. 30) for another Hockey East contest as they host No. 8 Northeastern. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Windjammer and Upper Deck Pub is the presenting sponsor of the 2018-19 women's hockey season