WOMEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
After two road losses to RPI, the Catamounts return to the Gut as they welcome Providence for a two-game series. Friday and Saturday's games are both set for 6 p.m. puck drops. Catch all the action live on ESPN+ with Rob Ryan on the call.
 
The first 100 fans to enter on Friday will receive a replica jersey courtesy of M&T Bank. In addition, all first responders will receive a complimentary ticket to the game with a valid form of I.D. upon arrival. Saturday night is the Catamounts annual Postgame Skate with the Cats. Fans of all ages are encouraged to bring their skates and a helmet to join the Catamounts on the ice postgame. On Saturday fans can also visit the marketing table to enter to win an adult season pass to Smugglers' Notch! The winner will be announced in-game. 

RELATED LINKS
Live Stats
CatamounTV Weekly Press Conference: Coach Plumer | Burns
Live Video (ESPN+): Friday's Game | Saturday's Game
International Streaming ($)
Tickets

HOME ICE INFLUENCE
Vermont has been strong on their home ice this season, showcasing a commendable 7-4-1 record when playing at Gutterson Fieldhouse. This trend is consistent with UVM's overall performance, holding an impressive 32-15-4 record at home over the past three seasons.

STARTING WITH POSSESSION
The Catamounts have continued to dominate the faceoff circle this season, tied for first in the Nation in faceoff percentage with a 58.0% success rate. Last season, Vermont's 54.7% faceoff win percentage also ranked first in the conference. Natálie Mlýnková is at the forefront of these wins for UVM with 178 on the season while Evelyne Blais-Savoie follows close behind with 171 faceoff wins on the year.

PRECISION PUCKS 
With a shooting percentage of 10.5%, Vermont is first among Hockey East teams and 11th in all of Division I. The Cats have maximized their opportunities, scoring 53 goals on just 505 shots. 
 
DEFENSIVE STOPPERS
Vermont ranks first in blocked shots within Hockey East, tallying an impressive total of 302. This places them fourth nationwide in this category. Sara Levesque holds the third spot in Division I with an outstanding 50 blocks for the season, while Krista Parkkonen secures the ninth spot nationally with 42 blocked shots this year.
 
ATTENDANCE RECORD RESET
Vermont broke the Hockey East home attendance record for the second straight year on November 10, smashing the previous record of 2,210. A whopping 2,705 fans attended Saturday's Pack the Gut Challenge game presented by the Windjammer against 15th ranked Boston College.
    
SCOUTING THE FRIARS
Providence heads into the upcoming weekend series against Vermont still in pursuit of their first win in the new year. In their recent encounters with Princeton, the Friars faced setbacks with scores of 6-1 and 2-1. Sophomore Reichen Kirchmair secured the sole goal for Providence on Friday, while Junior Hannah Johnson contributed the lone tally on Saturday.
 
The Friars showcase a well-balanced offensive strategy, featuring 11 skaters with five or more points this season. Kirchmair leads the team in scoring with seven goals and two assists. Goaltending duties are split between Hope Walinski and Mireille Kingsley, with Walinski maintaining a .891 save percentage and allowing 2.89 goals per game, while Kingsley boasts a .889 save percentage with 2.77 goals allowed per contest.

SERIES HISTORY
In the overall series history, Vermont trails Providence with a record of 23-35-4. Despite this, the Catamounts have shown recent dominance, securing a 6-1 record in the last seven matchups against the Friars. The most recent clash occurred in the Hockey East Semifinals, where Providence claimed a narrow 1-0 victory with a late second-period goal.
 
SCHAFZAHL MAKES PWHL HISTORY
Former Catamount captain Theresa Schafzahl '23 scored the first goal in PWHL Boston history on January 3rd at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Mass. Boston fell 3-2 to Minnesota in the first-ever PWHL game on American soil. Amanda Pelkey '15 (Boston) & Maude Poulin-Labelle '22 (Toronto) also made their debuts in the new professional women's hockey league this last week..
 
CATAMOUNTS LEADERSHIP GROUP 
Head Coach Jim Plumer has selected five student-athletes to lead the Catamounts during the 2023-24 campaign. 2023 World Championship bronze medalist Natálie Mlýnková will serve as captain for Vermont. The Catamounts will have four alternates this season with Hailey Burns, Sara Levesque, Maddy Skelton and Alaina Tanski. Skelton served as an alternate captain last season as well. 
  
CZECH CAPTAIN IS BACK FOR MORE 
Senior captain Mlýnková is the top returning scorer in Hockey East this season. She set new career highs in goals (23), assists (19) and points (42) last year. 
  
OFFENSIVE TOUCH KEY TO HISTORIC CAMPAIGNS 
Vermont scored over 100 goals in each of the last two years for the first time in program history on their way to back-to-back second place finishes in Hockey East with a program record of 22 wins in each campaign. Vermont returns 56.1% of its scoring from a year ago. 

The Windjammer Inn and Conference Center is the presenting sponsor of the UVM women's hockey program