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The Vermont Catamounts (4-7-1, 1-6-1 HEA) take on the Colorado College Tigers (6-6-2, 2-5-1 NCHC) in a pair of games at Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado, beginning with a 9:30 p.m. tilt on Friday (Dec. 7) and an 8:00 p.m. tilt on Saturday (Dec. 8).
 
Friday's game will air on AT&T SportsNet and stream through TSN.ca and NCHC.tv. Subscriptions are required for both streams. Free audio for both games, with Maura Sheridan on the call, is available through CatamounTV.com.
 
RELATED LINKS
Friday: Video ($) | Audio | Live Stats
Saturday: Video ($) | Audio | Live Stats
Game Notes (.pdf) | CatamounTV Preview
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Colorado College enters the weekend with a 6-6-2 overall record and 2-5-1 NCHC record. New Hampshire made the voyage to Colorado Springs in October, where the Tigers took three of four points.. CC lost its first four conference games with St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth both earning sweeps.
 
Over the last two weekends, Colorado College is 2-1-1, splitting a series with Miami before taking a win and tie over Omaha. Alex Berardinelli leads the Tigers with six goals. Nick Halloran leads the team in assists (8), points (11), and shots (51). Junior Alex Leclerc has started every game between the pipes for the Tigers this season. He holds a 2.56 goals against average and .914 save percentage. Leclerc has started 80 of 86 games since arriving to CC prior to the 2016-17 season.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Colorado College holds a 3-2-0 all-time record against the Catamounts. The Catamounts and Tigers first met in Rhode Island during the 1976-77 season, a 5-3 Vermont win. The Tigers took the biggest game in series history in 1996, earning a trip to the National Championship game with the controversial double overtime victory over Vermont. Vermont and Colorado College split a season-opening series at Gutterson Fieldhouse last year.
 
CATS IN THE NCAA
Vermont's penalty kill percentage of 87.8% (36-of-41) ranks first in Hockey East and sixth nationally, and the Cats are one of 25 Division I teams with multiple short-handed goals. UVM's scoring defense is fourth in Hockey East and tied for 13th nationally with Denver, allowing 2.25 goals per contest.
 
KAUFMAN MATCHES
Sophomore Max Kaufman matched his career-high in goals, assists, points, shots, and blocked shots on Saturday (Dec. 1) against Maine. The Rochester, New York native scored the game-tying-goal to finish the night with a goal and two assists. He also fired three shots on goal and blocked three Black Bear shots.
 
LEKKAS LEADS THE WAY
Junior goalie Stefanos Lekkas leads Hockey East and ranks seventh in the country with a stellar .934 save percentage. Lekkas ranks 23rd of 78 eligible Division I goalies with a 2.23 goals against average. Entering the weekend, Lekkas ranks sixth among active goalies with 2,283 career stops.
 
Lekkas' 43-save performance against Dartmouth was the seventh career game with 40 or more stops for the junior. Since 2000, a Vermont goalie has recorded 40 or more saves in a game just 27 times.
 
GOALS FOR GOOD with Community Bank
Vermont men's hockey has partnered with Community Bank for 'Goals for Good.' For every goal the Cats score this season, Community bank will donate $100 to Special Olympics Vermont. This season's total through 12 games is 25 goals and $2,500 donated.         
 
Handy Toyota is the presenting sponsor of the 2018-19 men's hockey season