MEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
Vermont brings a seven-game unbeaten streak, tied for the longest in the nation, into Senior Weekend at Gutterson Fieldhouse as the Catamounts host the 12th-ranked Northeastern Huskies on Friday (Feb. 16) and Saturday (Feb. 17) at 7:05 p.m.

Prior to Saturday's game, UVM will hold a ceremony to honor the six members of the Class of 2018: Drew Best (graduating early), Travis Blanleil, Rob Darrar, Anthony Petruzzelli, Trey Phillips, and Jarrid Privitera. 

Tickets are available by logging on to UVMathletics.com/Tickets or by calling 802-656-4410. Pre-game radio coverage on WVMT 620-AM and CatamounTV.com begins at 6:30 p.m. each night with Alastair Ingram on the call. Free video and live stats are available via CatamounTV.com at the links below.

RELATED LINKS
Video | Audio | Live Stats | Tickets  
CatamounTV Preview | Game Notes (.pdf)

GREEN OUT THE GUT PRESENTED BY CASELLA
Friday night is Green Out The Gut presented by Casella Waste Systems to promote recycling. Fans are encouraged to wear green, and free rally towels will be handed out to the first 2,000 fans. 

UNBEATEN STREAK
Vermont is tied with Minnesota State (7-0-0) and Denver (5-0-2) for the nation's longest active unbeaten streak at seven (5-0-2). Alex Esposito has tallied 10 points in that span to lead all Hockey East freshmen and rank eighth nationally. Stefanos Lekkas owns a .945 save percentage during the streak, ranking first in Hockey East and sixth in the country.

The Cats own the fifth-best power play percentage in the country over the unbeaten run, clicking at 30.4% (7-23) for second in the league. UVM has totaled 115 blocks during those seven games, which is the third-highest total in the country. The streak has helped UVM secure sole possession of eighth place, the final home-ice slot for the Hockey East First Round (March 2-4).

UNH RECAP
Vermont took three out of four points last weekend at UNH with a 2-1 win Friday and a 2-2 tie Saturday, extending their unbeaten streak at the Whittemore Center to six games (4-0-2). On Friday, the Catamounts jumped out to a 2-0 lead through 40 minutes to earn two points as Esposito and Matt Alvaro each registered multi-point efforts. Matt O'Donnell tallied his second game-winning goal and sixth tally of the season.

On Saturday, Privitera had a goal and an assist in the third period while Lekkas stopped 39 shots, but Marcus Vela finished a rebound on the power play with 2:34 left in regulation as New Hampshire earned a point. Vermont recorded 27 blocked shots in its second straight three-point weekend, as O'Donnell and Max Kaufman each recorded five.

SENIOR WEEKEND
The Class of 2018 has combined for a 66-65-18 record during their college careers and helped Vermont reach the Hockey East Semifinals as freshmen. 70 goals have been scored over their careers with Privitera chipping in 27 tallies to lead the class. The group has combined for 573 career games played, with Petruzzelli and Privitera participating in 133 each. Darrar, Blanleil, and Petruzzelli all wear letters. 

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
No. 12 Northeastern enters the weekend in third place at 17-8-5 (11-6-3 HEA), three points behind Boston College for first in the league. The Huskies are coming off their first Beanpot victory in 30 years following a 5-2 win over No. 20 Boston University on Monday. NU boasts the fourth-ranked power play unit in the nation at 26.7%, which leads Hockey East.

Junior Adam Gaudette paces with the offense with 24 goals and 47 points, while senior Dylan Sikura leads the team with 27 assists. Gaudette and Sikura rank first and second in the country in points per game, while Nolan Stevens is tied for 26th. Rookie Cayden Primeau has started 26 of 30 games in net, posting a league-best 1.97 goals against average and .926 save percentage. 

Jim Madigan, who spent a year as assistant coach for UVM in 1985-86, is in his seventh season at his alma mater and led NU to the 2016 Hockey East Championship. Last year, the Huskies finished 18-15-5 (9-10-3 HEA) before being swept by Boston University in the Hockey East Quarterfinals.

SERIES HISTORY
Friday marks the 64th all-time meeting in the series, which dates back to 1969. Vermont had a five-game unbeaten streak against the Huskies snapped with a 2-1 loss in November at Matthews Arena. Then-No. 12 Northeastern clawed back with a two-goal third period to answer the first NCAA tally from Esposito.

The last six contests have been decided by a total of four goals, with the last three in Burlington decided by just one. UVM is unbeaten in the those three meetings (1-0-2) at Gutterson Fieldhouse against the Huskies and is 14-11-6 overall at home. Vermont sits at 32-24-7 in the all-time series with Northeastern.

WHO'S NEXT
Vermont closes the regular season next weekend with a two-game series at Boston University on Friday, Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.

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