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Vermont (7-8-1, 1-6-1 HEA) hosts its final non-conference opponents of the 2018-19 season this weekend at Gutterson Fieldhouse. Sacred Heart (5-8-2, 5-6-1 AHA) visits the Gut for a 7:05 p.m. puck drop on Friday (Jan. 4). The 19th-ranked Clarkson Golden Knights (11-6-0, 3-3-0 ECAC) travel to Burlington for a 4 p.m. game on Sunday (Jan. 6).
 
Tickets for both games are still available and can be purchased through the ticket links below or by calling the UVM Athletic Ticket Office at 802-656-4410.
 
RELATED LINKS
Sacred Heart: Tickets | Watch | Listen | Live Stats | Game Notes (.pdf)
Clarkson: Tickets | Watch | Listen | Live Stats
 
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Sacred Heart enters Friday's contest with a 5-8-2 overall record and 5-6-1 Atlantic Hockey conference record. The Pios most recently swept RIT to close out the first half of the season. Sacred Heart has only played three non-conference games this season, opening the season with a pair of losses to Northeastern before skating to a tie with Providence. SHU plays better on the road, holding a 4-2-1 road record compared to its 1-6-1 home record.
 
Three Pioneer players are tied for the team lead with nine points: Jason Cotton, Matt Tugnutt, and Marc Johnstone. Cotton and Tugnutt lead the team with five goals each. Johnstone is the leading assist-man with seven helpers.
 
Senior Brett Magnus has started nine games between the pipes this season and holds a .896 save percentage and 3.17 goals against average. Freshman Josh Benson has made six starts in goal, and he holds a .918 save percentage and 2.26 goals against average. Benson has started the last four games for the Pioneers.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Vermont and Sacred Heart meet for just the second time in series history Friday night at Gutterson Fieldhouse. The Pios made a trip to Burlington in October 2004, with the Cats taking a 6-0 win behind four third period goals.
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Clarkson enters Sunday's game at Vermont as the nation's 19th-ranked team in the nation with an 11-6-0 overall record and 3-3-0 ECAC mark. The Golden Knights enter Sunday with a three-game win streak, having won Arizona State's Desert Classic with wins over #13 Arizona State and #3 Minnesota-Duluth.
 
Junior captain Nico Sturm leads Clarkson in goals (9), assists (11), and points (20). Five other Golden Knight skaters have reached 10 or more points this season. Jake Kielly has started all 17 games for Clarkson, posting a 1.96 goals against average and .928 save percentage with three shutouts. 
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Vermont and Clarkson renew the former ECAC rivalry for the first time since the start of the 2016-17 season, when the teams split a home-and-home series. Clarkson holds a 53-29-2 all-time series edge over the Catamounts. However, Vermont has a 5-1 record against the Golden Knights since joining Hockey East.
 
PUFF DADDY
Catamount senior Craig Puffer picked up Hockey East Co-Player of the Week honors following a four assist last weekend in the 2018 Catamount Cup. It is the first career weekly honor for the Connecticut native. The senior now has 31 career assists and 53 career points in 125 career games. He is the team's active leading scorer.
 
LEKKAS LEADS     
Lekkas leads Hockey East and is third in the country with a stellar .936 save percentage. The junior goalie ranks 21st of 78 eligible Division I goalies with a 2.17 goals against average.
 
Entering the weekend, Lekkas ranks sixth among active goalies in the NCAA with 2,413 career stops. He is fifth in Vermont history in saves.
 
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 16 games is 37 goals and $3,700 donated.          
 
Handy Toyota is the presenting sponsor of the 2018-19 men's hockey season