MEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
The Vermont (4-6-1) men's hockey team is back in action at Gutterson Fieldhouse this weekend as they host Union (7-7-0) in a two-game non-conference set. Both contests are set for 7 p.m. and will air live on ESPN+ with Rob Ryan on the call. 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. 
 
Friday night is the Catamounts annual Teddy Bear Toss presented by TD Bank. We are asking all fans to bring in a new stuffed animal to throw onto the ice during the first intermission. These stuffed animals will directly benefit Lund, UVM Children's Hospital, and the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington. Also on Friday night, the first 100 students will receive a free Dunkin gift card. The first 500 fans Friday will receive a cobranded PC Construction and UVM mini hockey stick. Saturday is First Responders Night at the Gut. All first responders with a valid ID will receive a free ticket.

RELATED LINKS
Buy Tickets
CatamounTV Weekly Press Conference: Wiedler | Miotto
Watch Live: ESPN+ - Friday | Saturday
Listen Live: WVMT
Live Stats
International Broadcast ($)
 
G CARRYING THE CATAMOUNTS
Senior goaltender Gabe Carriere has played every minute (661:52) for the Catamounts this season. His save percentage of .925 is tied for ninth best in the NCAA. His 2.36 goals-against average is 23rd best in the country.
 
BACK-TO-BACK RANKED WINS
The Catamounts are one of just three teams (#2 Boston University, #14 Michigan) to defeat #11 UMass this season. UVM defeated them 6-2 on Nov. 11 at UMass and then 2-1 in overtime last Friday at the Gut. Friday's win was UVM's first over a top-10 ranked team since 2019.
 
JELLUS TEAM LEADER IN GOALS
Junior forward Simon Jellus leads the Catamounts in scoring this season with five goals. He picked up the game-winner in UVM's season-opening win at St. Lawrence on Oct. 13. He also leads the squad with two game-tying goals.
 
SCOUTING THE GARNET CHARGERS
Union is 7-7-0 this season after dropping two consecutive games to #4 Quinnipiac and #8 Maine. Quinnipiac topped the Garnet Chargers 5-0 on Saturday and on Wednesday the Black Bears defeated Union 3-1. Friday night's action will be Unions first road game since November 11.
 
Sophomore defenseman John Prokop leads Union in scoring with four goals and 14 assists. He has won two straight ECAC Hockey Defender of the Week honors and has six multi-point games this season. He scored the only Union goal in their 3-1 setback against Maine Wednesday evening.
 
Union has four players with at least five goals each, including senior forward Chaz Smedsrud with a team-high six. The Garnet Chargers penalty kill is at 93.1%, second best in the NCAA. They have successfully killed off 23 of their opponents last 25 attempts with the man advantage.

SERIES HISTORY
The Catamounts lead the all-time series 19-13-2 against Union. Vermont won the last meeting on December 28, 2019 in the Catamount Cup 2-0. Stefanos Lekkas made 26 saves to earn the shutout and Ace Cowans scored the game-winning goal with 3:40 to play in regulation.
 
Former Head Coach Kevin Sneddon coached at Union before taking the position at UVM. The Catamounts were 6-5-0 against Union under Coach Sneddon. The two teams met in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament in Bridgeport, Conn. Union defeated the Catamounts 5-2 on the way to their programs first National Title. Current assistant coach Brendan Bradley assisted on both of the Vermont goals.
 
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