PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Four different Providence players scored Saturday night as the 17th-ranked Friars defeated Vermont 4-1 in Hockey East action from Schneider Arena in a game broadcast regionally on NESN.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"We were in good shape for the first ten minutes of the first period," said Head Coach Todd Woodcroft. "We took a costly penalty and then we were flat out behind the eight-ball versus a team who worked harder than us for the next thirty minutes. With the exception of a third of our team - we did not compete well tonight. The final period was something to build from as we played the last twenty minutes with purpose. Monday and Tuesday will be heavy work days until we get our blue-collar identity back."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Friars opened the scoring Saturday night capitalizing on the power play with their first chance of the game. In transition Patrick Moynihan one-timed a shot from the slot past UVM's Tyler Harmon for his tenth goal of the season 11:26 into the first period.
• Providence doubled its advantage with 3:57 to go in the opening frame. Former Catamount Alex Esposito won a puck battle in the corner on the forecheck and his teammate Michael Citara took the puck to the net and snuck a backhander past Harmon for his second goal of the season.
• Midway through the second period Cody Monds and Brett Berard scored 12 seconds apart to extend the Friars lead to 4-0.
• The Catamounts got on the board 2:05 into the third period. First year Isak Walther scored his second of the season. From the boards Luca Münzenberger fired a low shot that Providence's Jaxson Stauber kicked aside but the rebound came right to Walther who put it home. Timofei Spitserov earned the secondary assist on the goal.   
• Just 1:58 later UVM appeared to cut the Friars lead to two when William Lemay fired a wrist shot past Stauber in the slot. However, after review the officials deemed Cory Babichuk played the puck with his hand before Lemay controlled it.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Philip Lagunov won 10 faceoffs tonight for the Catamounts, a game-high among both teams. He has been in double-digits in wins in 17 games this season.
• This year with each goal scored by UVM, Community Bank, N.A.  will donate $75 to Special Olympics Vermont. With tonight's goal, Community Bank, N.A. will be adding a donation of $75 to Special Olympics Vermont. Thank you Community Bank, N.A. for your support of our UVM and Special Olympics athletes!

UP NEXT
The Catamounts are back in action Friday night as they host New Hampshire at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Senior Night presented by the UVM Alumni Association. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the action will air on CollegeSportsLive. The voice of the Catamounts, Adam LaFleur, will broadcast the action live on WVMT (FM 96.3 / AM 620).
 
Friday's contest will also be available as part of WCAX and WYCI's "Hockey Night in Vermont." The game will be available on WYCI in the Burlington area. WYCI is available on the following channels Comcast – 712, Burlington Telecom - 284, Dish Network - 34, DirecTV 40, and Spectrum – 706/1230. 
 
Handy Toyota is the presenting sponsor of the 2021-22 men's hockey season