MEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
The Catamounts are back in action for their final contest of the first semester as they host Dartmouth at 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon at Gutterson Fieldhouse. Sunday is Rally's Birthday and Youth Day presented by Healthy Living.
Sunday's contest will air live on ESPN+ with Rob Ryan on the call. The voice of the Catamounts, Adam LaFleur, will broadcast the action from the Handy Toyota Broadcast Booth on WVMT (FM 96.3 / AM 620) and the Varsity Network App.
RELATED LINKS
Listen Live on the Varsity Network App
Live Stats
Live Video: ESPN+ | International Streaming ($)
Tickets
RALLY'S BIRTHDAY AND YOUTH DAY PRESENTED BY HEALTHY LIVING
Rally's Birthday Party is from 3-4 p.m. in the Indoor Track, which is adjacent to Gutterson Fieldhouse. Attendees are encouraged to bring a toy for Rally to donate to local families in need as a part of a Toy Drive presented by Essex Family Dental. There will be a bouncy castle, face painter/airbrush tattoo station, dress like a Catamount station, coloring station, various lawn games, pizza, cupcakes, Coca-Cola products, and of course Rally Catamount and mascot friends.
POWER PLAY STARTING TO CLICK IN CATAMOUNT COUNTRY
Overall the Catamounts power play has converted on 10.6% of its opportunities this season. But in its last five games Vermont is five-for-19 on the power play good for 26.3%.
Robbie Stucker and
Jacques Bouquot each have two power play goals for Vermont over its last five games.
CATAMOUNTS ARE FAST STARTERS
Vermont's best period this season has been the opening 20. The Catamounts are outscoring its opponents 12-6 in the first period. UVM has scored first in nine of their games this season. In the first period UVM is being outshot 151-150, while in the other two periods it is 360-244 in favor of their opponents.
MICHALS TO COACH AT WORLD JUNIOR A CHALLENGE IN ONTARIO
Drew Michals will be joining the Latvian Federation as an Assistant Coach at the upcoming World Junior A Challenge in Cornwall, Ontario. (December 11-18) In addition, Catamounts commits Alex Bump (USA) and Kris Krumins (Latvia) will compete in the prestigious tournament.
The 2022 World Junior A Challenge represents a partnership between Hockey Canada, the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), Hockey Eastern Ontario, NHL Central Scouting and the local organizing committee. The five-team format includes Team Canada East, Team Canada West, Latvia, Sweden and the United States.
BUMP NAMED USHL STAR TO WATCH AT JUNIOR A CHALLENGE
Vermont commit, Philadelphia Flyers draft pick and Omaha Lancers alternate captain Alex Bump was named a USHL Star to Watch at the 2022 World Junior A Challenge by Chris Peters of FloHockey. Read the full article at
go.uvm.edu/wja.
SCOUTING DARTMOUTH
The Big Green are 1-9-1 this season including a 0-6-0 mark on the road. On Friday night, they dropped a 3-2 contest at Thompson Arena to No. 14 UMass Lowell. Four of Dartmouth's nine losses have been one-goal games including three of its last four. Only twice this season has Dartmouth scored more than one goal in a true road contest. The Big Green has lost seven straight entering Sunday's contest.
First year forward Luke Haymes leads the Big Green in scoring this season with seven goals. Two other Big Green skaters – Matt Hubbarde and Tanner Palocsik have seven points this season. Senior forward Mark Gallant who scored twice against Vermont last November has yet to register a point this season.
SERIES HISTORY
Sunday afternoon marks the 83nd meeting between Vermont and Dartmouth in series history. The twin-state rivals have met annually since the 1977-78 season, except for the 2020-21 campaign due to COVID-19. Vermont holds a 51-24-7 all-time record against Dartmouth. UVM has won six of the last seven meetings and holds an 7-1-2 record in the last 10 meetings. Last season UVM defeated the Big Green 3-2 at Thompson Arena behind a three-point night from
Will Zapernick (1 Gl, 2 Ast).
Joe Leahy and
William Lemay also scored for the Catamounts.
SIZE MATTERS
The Catamounts as a team have an average height of 6'1.6" which makes them the tallest team in college hockey. Boston University (6'0.9") is the only other team in Hockey East in the top-10. Vermont is also fourth in the NCAA in average weight at 191.0 pounds.
VERMONT CONNECTION SHINES AT 2022 WORLD JUNIORS
Joel Määttä became the first Catamount in program history to medal at the highest level of the World Juniors in August. He earned a silver medal with Finland, with three goals and an assist in seven games. Head Coach
Todd Woodcroft earned a bronze medal as an assistant coach with Sweden.
Ralfs Bergmanis (Latvia) and Luca Münzenberger (Germany) also competed at the 2022 IIHF World Juniors. Assistant Coach
Scott Moser served in the same role for Slovakia as well.
RECORD NUMBER OF CATAMOUNTS ATTEND NHL ROOKIE CAMPS
Vermont had a program-record 11 student-athletes (committed or enrolled) participate at NHL Development Camps this summer.
Joel Määttä who was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the seventh round of the 2022 NHL Draft attended Oilers camp with his UVM teammate
Luca Münzenberger. Locally
Porter Schachle and
Gabe Carriere were invitees to the Boston Bruins development camp.
DRAFT CAPITAL
The Catamounts enter the new season with six NHL Draft picks on the roster.
Robbie Stucker (Columbus, 2017 7th Rd.),
Andrei Buyalsky (Colorado, 2021 3rd Rd.),
Luca Münzenberger (Edmonton, 2021 3rd Rd.),
Isak Walther (Nashville, 2019 6th Rd.),
Timofei Spitserov (San Jose, 2020 7th Rd.) and
Joel Määttä (Edmonton, 2022 7th Rd.) are sure to bring added NHL attention to the program this season.
GUT HOCKEY GOES INTERNATIONAL
The Vermont roster is comprised of student-athletes from nine different countries. There is at least one player from Finland, Latvia, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Germany, Kazakhstan, Canada and the United States.
NEW SEASON, NEW JERSEYS
This season the Vermont men's and women's hockey teams are wearing new jerseys by Gemini Athletic Wear. Replica versions of the new men's road green jerseys are available now through the UVM Bookstore -
https://go.uvm.edu/newgreen.
Handy Toyota is the presenting sponsor of the 2022-23 men's hockey season
