WOMEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
Winners of seven straight Vermont (17-9-2, 14-6-1 HEA) hits the road this weekend to face Maine (12-13-1, 10-8-1), who has won six straight games, as the stretch run in Hockey East begins. Friday's game is set for 6 p.m. followed by a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. Both games will air for free on CollegeSportsLive.
 
RELATED LINKS
Live Stats | Live Video
CatamounTV Preview: Coach Plumer | McPherson
 
FIRST-EVER PROGRAM RANKING
In the midst of a seven-game win streak including two wins over ranked opponents the Vermont women's hockey team is ranked this week in the DCU/USCHO.com poll for the first time in program history. Vermont is tied for tenth with UConn in the poll.
 
"Obviously, this is a great honor for our program and I am so happy for our players and staff to have this recognition," said Head Coach Jim Plumer. "It's been a long process to build up our program - our culture and our on-ice play - and so many have contributed to it over the course of the past 10 years since I have been at UVM. This is a nice moment, but we want to continue getting better and finish this season strong."
 
TAKING DOWN NUMBER ONE
Last Friday the Catamounts earned its first-ever win over a top ranked opponent defeating then No. 1 Northeastern 2-1. Vermont native Bella Parento scored the game-winning goal 6:15 into the third period. It was the Huskies first home loss since December 13, 2020 a run of 24 games.
 
MONTHLY AWARDS POURING IN FOR THE CATAMOUNTS
Theresa Schafzahl, Maude Poulin-Labelle and Jessie McPherson wrapped up one of the most memorable months in program history receiving league accolades as the Hockey East Player of the Month, Defender of the Month and Goaltender of the Month.
 
Schafzahl led the NCAA with nine goals and 17 points across the month of January that saw her lead the Catamounts to an 8-1-0 record and their first-ever spot in the national rankings this week. She recorded at least one point in all nine games. Poulin-Labelle erupted in January, racking up six goals and nine assists in just eight games played to help guide the Catamounts to a program record seven-game Hockey East winning streak. She also set a program record with six points in a single game at Holy Cross on Jan. 18. McPherson won each of her six starts in January, leading the Catamounts to a top-10 national ranking in the process. She allowed one goal or fewer in five of her six outings.
 
Schafzahl and McPherson were also honored as the Hockey Commissioners Association Player of the Month and Goaltender of the Month across all of Division I women's hockey. They are the first the Catamounts to ever receive the honor.

POULIN-LABELLE LEADS CATAMOUNTS OFFENSIVE ATTACK
Senior defenseman Maude Poulin-Labelle leads the Catamounts in scoring with 12 goals and 20 assists this season for 32 points. She is second amongst all defenseman in scoring in the NCAA and tied for 18th overall. With 32 points this season she has reset her own program record (29 pts, 2019-20) for points by a defenseman in a single-season. With 79 career points in 108 games she's UVM's all-time leader in defensive scoring. In conference action, she is tied as the conference's leading scorer with 27 points with her teammate Theresa Schafzahl.
 
NINE-GAME POINT STREAK FOR SCHAFZAHL
Senior forward Theresa Schafzahl is tied for first in Hockey East scoring with 27 points this season. Schafzahl is currently on a nine-game point streak. She has nine goals and eight assists over that stretch. UVM is 8-1-0 over that stretch.
 
17 WINS, ONE MORE TO TIE THE RECORD
With six games remaining in the regular season the Catamounts have reached 17 wins for the second time in program history. The team record for wins in a season is 18, set by the 2013-14 team which was the first in program history to reach the Hockey East semifinals.
 
PK PROWESS
The Catamounts own the nation's second ranked penalty kill this season, boasting an 92.9% success rate. They are tied for second with RPI. Vermont has only allowed five goals while shorthanded this season, and has scored three times while on the penalty kill with Natálie Mlýnková scoring two of them. The 2018-19 Catamounts finished the season with the nation's top penalty kill at 87.4%. Vermont is one of just six teams in the country to have allowed five or less goals shorthanded this season.
 
SCOUTING THE BLACK BEARS
Maine is 6-0-0 since falling 3-0 at Vermont on January 2. They have swept Holy Cross, Merrimack and Providence in their winning streak by a combined score of 19-7. They've only given up more than one goal once in the six games.
 
On Monday first year Maine forward Mira Seregély was named Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week in Hockey East. She scored the game-winning goal in Maine's first game with PC then added a goal and two assists in the second contest.
 
Finnish forward Ida Kuoppala leads the Black Bears in scoring with eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points. Kuoppala scored twice for Maine in the Black Bears playoff win over the Catamounts last season. She also scored twice in the Black Bears last game at Providence.
 
SERIES HISTORY
This weekend's games will be the 59th and 60th meeting between Vermont and Maine. The Catamounts have a 20-28-10 record in the all-time series, but own a 4-3-3 mark in the last 10 contests. On January 2, Sydney Correa made 14 saves earning her first career shutout in a 3-0 UVM win at Gutterson Fieldhouse. Natálie Mlýnková, Hailey Burns and Ellice Murphy scored for Vermont.
 
SEVEN CATAMOUNTS REPRESENTING THE GREEN AND GOLD AT THE 2022 OLYMPICS
Sammy Kolowrat '19, Natálie Mlynková, Tynka Pátková and Blanka Škodová are representing the Czech Republic in their first-ever Olympic appearance in women's hockey. Kolowrat, Mlynková and Pátková made their Olympic debut Thursday in a 3-1 win over China. Škodová is on the taxi squad for the Czechs in case of injuries or instances of COVID-19. Sini Karjalainen is competing for Finland and faced the United States this morning in her Olympic debut. The final Catamount competing in the tournament is an incoming first year Sofie Skott, representing Denmark. The Danes began pool play tonight at 11:10 p.m. against China. Former women's hockey captain and current Hockey East official Chelsea Rapin '12 is serving as a referee in the tournament.
 
The Windjammer Inn and Conference Center is the presenting sponsor of the UVM women's hockey program