MEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
After a weekend off the Vermont (3-5-1) men's hockey team returns to Gutterson Fieldhouse this weekend for a split weekend series in conference play. On Friday night UVM will host #10 UMass (9-3-1) at 7 p.m. for "Green Out the Gut" presented by Casella.  Then on Sunday the Catamounts will host UMass Lowell (5-8-1) in UVM's first home NESN broadcast since 2014. Due to Sunday's NESN broadcast puck drop is set for 3 p.m.
 
As always, the games will also be broadcast live on WVMT with the voice of the Catamounts Adam Lafleur in the Handy Toyota Broadcast Booth. 

RELATED LINKS
CatamounTV Weekly Press Conference: Wiedler | Bucheler
Friday vs. #10 UMass: ESPN+ | Tickets
Sunday vs. UMass Lowell: ESPN+/NESN | Tickets
Listen Live: WVMT
Live Stats
International Broadcast ($)
 
GREEN OUT THE GUT FRIDAY NIGHT PRESENTED BY CASELLA
The first 500 fans will receive a cobranded UVM and Casella mug & there will also be sunglasses & buffs available in the lobby. Fans are encouraged to wear green & the Catamounts will wear their green jerseys!
 
KIDS EAT FREE BROUGHT TO YOU BY McKENZIE & POSTGAME SKATE WITH THE CATS SUNDAY
The first 100 kids on Sunday will receive a voucher for a free hot dog presented by McKenzie. Sunday's game also features a Postgame Skate with the Cats. Fans of all ages are encouraged to bring their skates and a helmet to join our student-athletes on the ice following the contest.
 
CATAMOUNTS AND RIVER HAWKS SET TO FACEOFF ON NESN
Sunday's contest between Vermont and UMass Lowell will air live on NESN at 3 p.m. with Tyler Murray and Jim Connelly on the call from Gutterson Fieldhouse. It will be the Catamounts first home contest on NESN since November 25, 2014 a 3-1 win over UMass.
 
BUCHELER'S HISTORIC NIGHT IN AMHERST
On Nov. 11 graduate defenseman Jérémie Bucheler scored two goals and added three assists in Vermont's 6-2 win over then No. 14 UMass. Bucheler matched a program single-game record for a UVM defenseman with his five points. He was the first Catamounts defender to post five points since 1972.
 
Following his historic output Bucheler was named Hockey East Co-Defender of the Week and UVM Athletics' TD Bank Student-Athlete of the Week. Bucheler has played 118 collegiate games, and had never posted a multi-point or multi-goal game. Nov. 11 in 11:02 of game action he had two goals and two assists. 
 
RICHARDS NETS FIRST UVM HAT TRICK SINCE 2018 AGAINST UMASS
Sophomore forward Jens Richards scored UVM's first shorthanded goal of the season at UMass on Nov. 11 on his way to the Catamounts first hat trick since January 20, 2018.

SCOUTING THE MINUTEMEN
Since falling to UVM on Nov. 11 UMass has reeled off three straight wins over ranked teams to vault themselves into the Top-10. UMass swept a home-and-home series with #5 Providence and then won 6-5 at #20 Harvard last weekend.
 
In UMass' three losses this season (vs. Boston University, Michigan and UVM) they've given up an average of six goals-against per game. In the other 10 games (9-0-1) they've averaged two goals-against per game.
 
The UMass roster features 13 NHL draft picks, the most in program history, which is tied for second nationally, trailing only Boston University and Boston College's 14. Six of the 13 draft picks are newcomers to Amherst.

SERIES HISTORY
The Catamounts lead the all-time series with UMass 47-32-10. Vermont's 5-2 win over UMass with five unanswered goals on Nov. 11 snapped a 13-game unbeaten streak for the Minutemen against Vermont. Vermont's last win in the series before the last meeting was on March 2, 2018 in the Hockey East Opening Round.
 
The teams first met on January 10, 1964, in a 5-5 tie at UMass. Vermont's last win at home over UMass came on Nov. 25, 2014, which was the Catamounts last home game broadcast on NESN. UVM was also the home team in their 4-2 win over UMass at the 2016 Belpot in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
 
SCOUTING THE RIVER HAWKS
Last weekend UMass Lowell dropped two games at their own Turkey Leg Classic Tournament. The River Hawks fell 4-1 to Bentley and then 4-2 to Army. UMass Lowell is 5-8-1 on the campaign but four of their five wins have come on the road. UML will face UConn on the road Friday night before heading to the Green Mountain State.
 
Sophomore forward Scott Truman leads the River Hawks in scoring with three goals and nine assists for 12 points. Junior forward Matt Crasa sets the pace for UML with a team-high six goals.
 
Between the pipes Henry Welsch (2.11 GAA, .929 Sv%) and Luke Pavicich (3.01 GAA, .901 Sv%) have split the duties for UML. Welsch made 36 saves in back-to-back shutout wins over Vermont last season.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Catamounts are 16-39-8 all-time against the River Hawks and 10-20-5 at home facing UML. The River Hawks are 11-0-1 in the last 12 meetings with the Catamounts. Vermont's last win in the series came on January 20, 2018 in a 6-3 UVM triumph at Gutterson Fieldhouse. Last season UMass Lowell shutout the Catamounts in back-to-back UML wins in early November.
 
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.), Isak Walther (Nashville, 2019 6th Rd.), 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.
 
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