BURLINGTON, Vt. – Maude Poulin-Labelle and Theresa Schafzahl scored power play goals in the third period to push Vermont past New Hampshire 4-2 Sunday afternoon in Hockey East action from Gutterson Fieldhouse. With the win, the Catamounts improved to 14-6-1 in league and maintained second place in the conference. It is the first time in program history that Vermont has won seven straight Hockey East regular season games.
 
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COACH'S QUOTE
"This was a very tough game for us and we really had to grind to find a way to win it," said Head Coach Jim Plumer. "UNH played a great game and took away time and space and forced us into uncomfortable situations. Credit to our defensive effort - both goaltending and shot blocking - and to our special teams for carrying us through. It's been an emotional few days and we are going to have to be a lot better when we face a red-hot Maine team next weekend."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• New Hampshire opened the scoring 14:16 into the first period. In transition Tamara Thiérus fired a wrist from the high slot past Vermont's Jessie McPherson. Thiérus entered the zone with speed after accepting a pass from Avery Myers. As Thiérus gathered the puck a Vermont defender knocked it off her stick but she quickly snapped it on net for her seventh goal of the season.
• Ellice Murphy answered back for the Catamounts four minutes later. In transition Lily Humphrey left the puck for Murphy and she skated into the slot before firing a wrist shot on net. Murphy's shot deflected off a UNH defender and skied into the top corner past Nicky Harnett. Murphy's second goal of the season was also assisted by Reagan Miller.
• Humphrey gave the Catamounts their first lead of the game 15:21 into the second period. UVM struck in transition for the second time in the contest. Alyssa Holmes carried the puck into the Wildcats zone and brought their defenders to her before finding Humphrey cutting to the net. With four UNH defenders in and around the net Humphrey was able to find a hole through the traffic for her fifth goal of the campaign.
• UNH's Maddie Truax equalized midway through the third period. From inside the faceoff circle she fired a wrist shot through traffic that McPherson never saw before it found the back of the net. With 8:59 to play it was a brand-new game.
• Just 16 seconds later the Catamounts earned their third power play opportunity of the game. UVM struck in transition again, this time Poulin-Labelle found the back of the net. She took a feed from Corinne McCool and labeled a shot just under the bar for her 12th goal of the season with 7:30 to play.
• 25 seconds after the Poulin-Labelle goal UVM was headed back to the power play. Poulin-Labelle fired a shot from the point and Harnett got a piece of the puck but the rebound was loose. Schafzahl crashed the net and tapped it home for her 16th goal of the year. McCool earned the secondary assist on the insurance marker.
• With three minutes to go UVM headed to the box and UNH pulled the goalie for an extra attacker. The Catamounts penalty kill smothered the Wildcats, they didn't get a single shot on goal. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• With this afternoon's win the Catamounts now have 16 wins on the season with six regular season games to go. The program record for wins in a season is 18 set during the 2013-14 campaign.
• Theresa Schafzahl is currently on a nine-game point streak. She has nine goals and eight assists over that stretch. UVM is 8-1-0 in those games.
• This afternoon UVM set a program record picking up its 14th conference win of the regular season. The previous record was 13 set by the 2013-14 team that was the first in program history to reach the Hockey East semifinals.
• This year with each goal scored by UVM, Community Bank, N.A.  will donate $75 to Special Olympics Vermont. With today's four goals, Community Bank, N.A. will be adding a donation of $300 to Special Olympics Vermont. Thank you Community Bank, N.A. for your support of our UVM and Special Olympics athletes!
• With today's win, Vermot Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to COTS, the Committee on Temporary Shelter, as part of the Cats Win, Community Wins initiative. A special thank you to Vermont Mutual Insurance for their support. Vermont Mutual Insurance, protecting Vermonters since 1828.

UP NEXT
The Catamounts will travel to Maine for the first time since December 2019 for a two-game Hockey East series. The teams will faceoff at 6 p.m. on Friday, February 4 and then on Saturday they will close out the season series at 2 p.m. Both games will air for free on CollegeSportsLive.
 
The Windjammer Inn and Conference Center is the presenting sponsor of the UVM women's hockey program