FINAL SCORE: Vermont 3, UConn 2 OT
STORRS, Conn. – Theresa Schafzahl scored her second goal of the night with 1:21 left in overtime to propel Vermont to its fourth straight win 3-2 over UConn after trailing 2-0 in the contest. With today's win Vermont improved to 5-1-0 while the Huskies fell to 3-5-1.  
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score | VIDEO: Game-Winning Goal
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"This was easily one of my favorite wins in my time at UVM," said Head Coach Jim Plumer. "UConn really took it to us for the first half of the game but we showed amazing resilience and fought back. So many people deserve credit. Jessie McPherson played another outstanding game and the Burns-Patkova-Skelton line got us back into the game with their energy in the second and changed the momentum of the game. And Theresa Schafzahl picked a great time to get her first goals of the season. It was a real gut check for us and we found away."

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Huskies opened the scoring 11:18 into the first period breaking UVM's Jessie McPherson's shutout streak and snapping the Catamounts perfect penalty kill this season. Savanna Bouzide passed behind the goalline to Danika Pasqua and Pasqua fed a perfect pass to Viki Harkness in the slot and she one-timed a shot past McPherson on the power play.
• UConn doubled its advantage 10:17 into the second period with another power play goal, this time from Morgan Wabick. McPherson made a couple of saves in traffic before Wabick pounced on a rebound and fired it home for her first goal of the season.
• On their own power play the Catamounts scored a momentum shifting goal with 1:36 left in the middle frame. Off an offensive zone faceoff win Maude Poulin-Labelle fired a hard-low shot towards the net, UConn's Tia Chan made the initial stop but the rebound hit Val Caldwell and fell to Corrine McCool who made no mistake pounding it home for her third goal of the season.
• Just 1:21 into the third period Vermont equalized as Schafzahl scored her first goal of the season. Poulin-Labelle forced a turnover in the neutral zone and Schafzahl and Poulin-Labelle entered the UConn zone on a two-on-one. Schafzahl took a perfect pass from Poulin-Labelle and fired it just over the pad of Chan to tie the game.
• With no more scoring in regulation the Catamounts headed to three-on-three overtime for the first time in program history. Early in the extra session Kristina Shanahan rang a shot off the post, shots were 17-8 in favor of UVM over the third period and extra session.
• Schafzahl received a feed from Poulin-Labelle in the slot, Schafzahl lost a UConn defender with a quick move before faking a shot, and going around Chan to tap home the game-winner. The overtime winner was Schafzahl's fifth career game-winning goal.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Catamounts 5-1-0 conference start is the best-ever for the program in Hockey East. Vermont sits in third place in Hockey East with 14 points.
• With three assists this afternoon Maude Poulin-Labelle is the team leader in points with one goal and eight assists. She is the top-scoring defenseman in the NCAA with nine points in six games. She is also tied for sixth amongst all skaters in the NCAA.
• Vermont's four-game win streak is the second longest in the NCAA right now. Only No. 2 Minnesota has a longer streak at six games.
• Jessie McPherson is the NCAA leader in save percentage (.973) and goals-against average (0.65). McPherson began her NCAA career with a shutout streak of 131:18.
• When the Cats Win, Community Wins. With each Catamount win, Vermont Mutual Insurance donates $100 to a local non-profit. For 2020 they donated $15,000 to Spectrum Youth and Family Services. A special thank you to Vermont Mutual Insurance for their support. Vermont Mutual Insurance, protecting Vermonters since 1828."
• With tonight's score of 3-2 Community Bank, N.A. will be adding a donation of $225 to Special Olympics Vermont. That brings this year's total to $2400. Cheer on our Catamounts as they go for the win while creating a special bond with community members! Thank you Community Bank, N.A. for your support of our UVM and Special Olympics athletes!

WHO'S NEXT
Vermont will return to action next weekend with its opponent and location to be announced. Hockey East is shifting schedules in an effort to make up previously postponed games. A full schedule update from Hockey East will be announced on Tuesday, January 12.