MEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
Vermont will officially begin the 2023-24 regular season this weekend as they travel to face their former ECAC rivals St. Lawrence and Clarkson in a North Country swing for the Catamounts. Friday night UVM will open the season at St. Lawrence before shifting to Clarkson on Saturday night. Both games will begin at 7 p.m. and be broadcast live on ESPN+ As always, the games will be broadcast live on WVMT with the voice of the Catamounts Adam Lafleur in the Handy Toyota Broadcast Booth.Â
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RELATED LINKS
CatamounTV Weekly Press Conference: Coach Wiedler | Dubinsky
Friday at St. Lawrence: Live Stats | Live Video: ESPN+ | International Streaming ($)
Saturday at Clarkson: Live Stats | Live Video: ESPN+ | International Streaming ($)
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MÄÄTTÄ MAKES IT COUNT AGAINST McGILL
Junior forward Joel Määttä led the way for Vermont last Saturday in its preseason contest against McGill. Määttä scored the first two goals of the year, both assisted by
Will Zapernick, in Vermont's 4-0 win over the Redbirds
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CATAMOUNTS ARE COMING
In each of the last two seasons the Catamounts have increased their win total. Last season Vermont defeated Maine in the Hockey East Opening Round earning its first postseason win since 2018 and advancing to the Hockey East Quarterfinals for the first time since 2017. The Catamounts finished 15th in the NCAA on the PK in 2022-23. In 18 games, last season Vermont didn't give up a goal while shorthanded.
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BUYALSKY AND WALTHER BRINGING THE OFFENSE
Last season
Andrei Buyalsky (5 Gl, 13 Ast) and
Isak Walther (9 Gl, 10 Ast) led the way for the Vermont offense. They were the first Catamounts to post 18 or more points in a season since 2018-19. Walther posted three game-winning goals for Vermont last season the most by a Catamount since, current Colorado Avalanche forward, Ross Colton had three during the 2017-18 campaign.
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CATAMOUNTS LEADERSHIP GROUP
Head Coach
Steve Wiedler has selected four student-athletes to lead the Catamounts during the 2023-24 campaign. Senior
Will Zapernick will serve as the 64th captain in program history. Vermont will have three alternates this season with Jérémie Bucheler,
Zach Dubinsky and Joel Määttä. Määttä served as an alternate captain last season as well.
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BUCHELER ON THE PLUS SIDE
At Northeastern graduate transfer Jérémie Bucheler won the 2023 Beanpot, picking up the primary assist on the game-winning goal over Boston University in the semifinal. He carries a career +32 rating, which is tied for ninth amongst returning defenders in college hockey.
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MIOTTO DANGEROUS ON THE KILL
Graduate transfer
Ryan Miotto has a well-earned reputation for scoring shorthanded goals. The Canisius (AHA) transfer has three shorthanded tallies to his name, putting him fourth amongst all active returners in college hockey.
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SCOUTING THE SAINTS
St. Lawrence went 17-19-0 last season and return 11 of their top-12 scorers from a season ago. During the 2022-23 campaign SLU finished fourth in the ECAC and they were picked fifth this season. The Saints opened the season last weekend defeating RIT 4-3. Junior defenseman Drake Burgin led the way for St. Lawrence with two goals in the contest including his first career game-winner.
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Senior co-captain and defenseman Luc Salem was named to the Preseason All-ECAC Team. A year ago, he led the Saints in goals (10), assists (17) and points (27). Four of his 10 goals were game-winners.
SERIES HISTORY
St. Lawrence is the Catamounts second most common rival. Vermont and the Saints have faced each other 95 times over the last 52 years. The Catamounts are 45-47-3 all-time against SLU. In their last meeting on Oct. 19, 2019 Vermont defeated St. Lawrence on the road at Appleton Arena 2-0. Bryce Misley and Alex Esposito scored and Stefanos Lekkas made 35 saves to earn the shutout.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
The Golden Knights are receiving votes in both polls this week after a weekend split at Notre Dame. Clarkson opened the season with a 3-1 win in South Bend before falling 3-0 in the series finale. The Golden Knights will host No. 17 Penn State at Cheel Arena Friday night before hosting the Catamounts.
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Providence transfer Cody Monds scored the game-winning goal for the Golden Knights against Notre Dame last Friday. It was his first game-winning goal since Nov. 19, 2021 at Gutterson Fieldhouse against the Catamounts. In six career games against Vermont he has three goals and an assist.
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The Golden Knights were picked fourth in the ECAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving one first place vote. Forward Ayrton Martino and defenseman Noah Beck were selected to the Preseason All-ECAC Team. Martino led Clarkson in scoring last season with nine goals and 29 assists. Beck had six goals and 17 assists from the point last year.
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SERIES HISTORY
Saturday night will be the 87th all-time meeting between Vermont and Clarkson. The Golden Knights hold a 55-29-2 edge over the Catamounts. In their last meeting, also at Cheel Arena, Clarkson downed Vermont 3-2 on Oct. 18, 2019. Clarkson forward Zach Tsekos had a hat trick in that contest to lead No. 10 Clarkson to the win.
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VERMONT EXPERIENCE AGAINST NOCO TEAMS
Three of the Catamounts transfers have experience facing Clarkson and St. Lawrence.
Zach Dubinsky played the North Country pair eight times going 5-3-0 and picking up a goal against the Golden Knights (at RPI) on Nov. 16, 2022.
Chris Theodore earned an assist in four career games against SLU and Clarkson. His assist came Nov. 4, 2022 at Cheel Arena. At Union, he was 2-2-0 against the two northernmost ECAC clubs.
Ryan Miotto is the only Catamount on the roster to have scored at Cheel Arena collegiately. On Oct. 19, 2022 he scored Canisius' final tally in a 4-4 tie with the Golden Knights.
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DRAFT CAPITAL
The Catamounts enter the new season with six NHL Draft picks on the roster.
Eli Barnett (San Jose, 2022 7th Rd.),
Andrei Buyalsky (Colorado, 2021 3rd Rd.), Luca Münzenberger (Edmonton, 2021 3rd Rd.),Â
Isak Walther (Nashville, 2019 6th Rd.),Â
Timofei Spitserov (San Jose, 2020 7th Rd.) and Joel Määttä (Edmonton, 2022 7th Rd.) are sure to bring NHL attention to the program this season.
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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. There are eight student-athletes from Ontario alone, including five newcomers this year.
Handy Toyota is the presenting sponsor of the UVM men's hockey program
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