MEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
Vermont (0-1-1) returns home this Saturday for their regular season Home Opener against long-time ECAC rival Clarkson (2-2-0). Puck drop is slated for 7:30 p.m. Saturday night and the action will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with Rob Ryan on the call. As always, the games will also be broadcast on WVMT with the voice of the Catamounts Adam Lafleur in the Handy Toyota Broadcast Booth.
Saturday night is PC Construction Night and the first 500 fans will receive a cobranded stainless steel cup.
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Game Notes (.pdf)
FIRST YEARS MAKING AN IMPACT
Three Catamounts scored their first career goals at St. Thomas last weekend.
Colin Kessler scored twice in the first period of Friday's contest.
Michael La Starza had a goal and an assist Friday night and
Max Strand scored Saturday for the Catamounts.
Kessler was named Hockey East Rookie of the Week for his efforts on Monday. Kessler is the first Catamount to receive the honor since
Jens Richards on December 12, 2022.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
- The Golden Knights enter Saturday's action with a record of 2-2-0. Last weekend at home Clarkson topped Niagara 4-2 on Friday and fell 5-2 to Notre Dame on Saturday.
- Saturday will be Clarkson's first road game of the season. During the 2023-24 campaign the Golden Knights were 8-8-0 on the road.
- Clarkson has scored 10 goals this season with nine different goal scorers. First year forward Jared Mangan is the only Clarkson skater with two goals this season. He is one of four players on the team with three points this year.
- Saturday night will be the 88th all-time meeting between Vermont and Clarkson. The Golden Knights hold a 56-29-2 edge over the Catamounts.
50 YEARS OF DIVISION I HOCKEY
The Catamounts became a Division I program during the 1974-75 campaign. Vermont's first home game as a DI program came December 10, 1974 in a 3-2 win over Clarkson. Tim O'Connell '76 scored the first goal at the Gut as a Division I program and he would lead the NCAA in scoring with 41 tallies that year.
CATAMOUNTS LEADERSHIP GROUP
Vermont men's hockey head coach
Steve Wiedler announced his team's leadership group for the 2024-25 campaign,
Will Zapernick and
Joel Määttä will serve as captains while
Jens Richards will be an alternate.
ALWAYS READY TO GO
Among players returning this season to Catamount Country, two players played in all 35 games during the 2023-24 season
Will Zapernick and
Timofei Spitserov. They both skated in each St. Thomas contest last weekend as well.
For news and updates about the Vermont men's hockey program, follow @UVMmhockey on Instagram, X, and Facebook, and visit UVMathletics.com.
Handy Toyota is the presenting sponsor of the UVM men's hockey program
