MEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
The Vermont Catamounts (1-11-2, 0-8-1 HEA) host the 2019 Catamount Cup, presented by TD Bank and Delta Hotel Burlington by Marriott this weekend at Gutterson Fieldhouse
 
Vermont hosts Lake Superior State (6-15-1, 4-9-1 WCHA), Providence (9-5-3, 6-4-2 HEA), and Union (5-12-0, 3-5-0 ECAC) in the annual holiday tournament. The Catamounts take on Union at 7:05 p.m. tomorrow (Dec. 28) and Lake Superior State at 7:05 p.m. Sunday night (Dec. 29).
 
RELATED LINKS
Saturday: Tickets | Watch | Listen | Live Stats | Game Notes (.pdf)
Sunday: Tickets | Watch | Listen | Live Stats
 
THE 2019 CATAMOUNT CUP
Vermont hosts the Catamount Cup for the 15th time under head coach Kevin Sneddon. The Catamounts won the tournament a year ago and have claimed the cup seven times under Sneddon.
 
Providence won the Cup in 2014 and Lake Superior State claimed the holiday tournament in 2001. Union was the tournament runner-up in 2006 and 2012.
 
Union and Lake Superior State were two of the best teams to miss the 2019 NCAA Tournament last year. The Dutchmen finished the season 18th in the Pairwise rankings while the Lakers finished 22nd in the Pairwise.
 
SCOUTING THE DUTCHMEN
The Dutchmen enter the weekend with a 5-12-0 overall record and 3-5-0 ECAC mark. Union is 5-5-0 in its last 10 games after starting the season with seven straight losses. Union was won three of its last four games dating back to mid-November, with wins over Princeton, Brown, and Merrimack and a loss to Yale.
 
The Dutchmen block 14.5 shots per game to lead the ECAC and rank sixth in the country. Anthony Rinaldi leads the team in assists (7) and points (11). He is tied for the team lead in goals with Sean Harrison (4). Darion Hanson has played almost every minute for Union between the pipes. He holds a 2.79 goals against average and a .907 save percentage. 
 
Union finished the 2018-19 season 18th in the Pairwise rankings. The Dutchmen fell to Cornell in the ECAC semifinals and finished the 2018-19 season with a 20-13-6 record. The Dutchmen were one of five teams with 20 or more wins to miss the NCAA Tournament. They joined Lake Superior State (23-13-2), Penn State (22-15-2), Northern Michigan (21-16-2), and Western Michigan (21-15-1).
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Vermont holds an 18-13-2 all-time record against Union in 33 meetings between the schools. Vermont and Union have split the last ten meetings at 5-5-0, which is also Vermont's record against Union under head coach Kevin Sneddon.
 
SCOUTING THE LAKERS
The Lakers enter the 2019 Catamount Cup with a 6-15-1 overall record and 4-9-1 WCHA mark. LSSU has two wins over Merrimack, Ferris State, and Bowling Green and a tie against Bemidji State.
 
Senior Max Humitz leads the team in goals (11) and points (17). Hampus Eriksson leads the team with 11 assists. Between the pipes, Mareks Mitens has started 20 of 22 games and holds a 3.16 goals against average and .896 save percentage.
 
With Union, the Lakers were one of five teams to finish the 2018-19 season with 20 or more wins and miss the tournament.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Sunday marks the 10th meeting between Vermont and Lake Superior in series history. Vermont holds a 5-4-0 record against Lake State.
 
Vermont won the most recent meeting at Gutterson Fieldhouse in 2015, but the Lakers won the two prior meetings over Vermont (2001, 2011). The Catamounts are 2-3-0 against the Lakers at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
 
Handy Toyota is the presenting sponsor of the 2019-20 men's hockey season