FINAL SCORE: Vermont 4, #12 Providence 4
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Vermont and No. 12 Providence skated to a 4-4 tie Saturday on Handy Toyota Night from Gutterson Fieldhouse.

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COACH'S QUOTE
"I don't have a lot to say," said Head Coach Steve Wiedler. "We played a nearly great game. Up two with seven minutes left in the third period at home in the Gut on a Saturday night. At some point you have to say enough is enough and get the job done. Someone has to stand up and say "follow me" I'll show you how to finish this game out.  That didn't happen tonight, and it didn't happen at St. Thomas. Wasted a good effort."

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After a scoreless opening frame the Catamounts took the lead 25 seconds into the middle frame. In transition Blake Steenerson centered a feed to Simon Jellus but a Providence defender deflected it away. But the puck sat in the slot for Colin Kessler to skate up and wire past Zachary Borgiel for his team-leading third goal of the season.
• The Friars answered back 1:46 later. Will Elger cut down the wing and snuck a shot just inside the post on UVM's Keenan Rancier to tie things up with his second goal of the season.
• At the 3:51 mark of the second Providence took the lead after a turnover in the neutral zone. In alone with a teammate Will Logan fed a cross-crease pass to Ryan O'Reilly who tapped it home for his first goal of the season.
• Vermont answered back at the 6:58 mark of the second. Jack Malinski took a hit to get the puck up to Kessler on the rush. He drew the PC defense and Borgiel to him and fed a perfect backhand pass to Blake Steenerson who had an empty net to deposit his first career goal into.
• With 7:14 to go in the second Massimo Lombardi took the lead back for the Catamounts. In transition from the blue line Max Strand made a quick pass to a cutting Timofei Spitserov. As Spitserov cut to the net he feathered a backhand to Lombardi. Lombardi faked to his forehand before slipping a backhand top corner on Borgiel to make it 3-2.
• Thomas Sinclair made it a two-goal lead for the Catamounts 7:12 into the third period, just seconds after a UVM power play. Along the boards Strand spun and fed a centering pass on his backhand. Nick Ahern wasn't able to corral the pass, but he tapped it out in front of the PC net. Trailing on the play Sinclair took the puck and roofed a wrist shot just under the bar for his first goal of the season.
• With 7:01 to go in the third period Providence cut the lead in half with a double deflection from the point. Guillaume Richard's point shot was deflected by a UVM defender and then redirected again by Graham Gamache to make it 4-3.
• The Friars equalized with 23 seconds left in regulation during an extended period of six-on-five action in the Vermont zone. Nick Poisson one-timed a feed from the top of the circle for his second goal of the season.
• Vermont's Rancier and Providence's Borgiel each made five saves in the overtime session.
• Providence's Hudson Malinoski scored the only goal in the shootout to earn the extra league point for the Friars. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• A trio of Catamounts First Years – Blake Steenerson, Colin Kessler and Max Strand had two-point games Saturday night.
• Vermont blocked 15 shots Saturday night, led by three apiece from Philip Törnqvist and Jack Malinski.
• Massimo Lombardi and Colin Kessler are tied for the team-lead in scoring with five points.
• With tonight's 4-4 decision, Community Bank N.A. will donate $300 to Special Olympics Vermont. Community Bank, N.A. donates $75 per goal to Special Olympics Vermont for every goal the men's and women's team scores this season.

UP NEXT
The Catamounts hit the road in Hockey East play next weekend as they travel to the Nutmeg State for a Hockey East Opening Round rematch with UConn. Vermont will face the Huskies in Hartford at the XL Center on Saturday, November 2 at 3:30 p.m. Then on Sunday UVM will face UConn on-campus at the Toscano Ice Forum at 3 p.m.
 
Both games will air live on ESPN+. As always, the games will also be broadcast live on WVMT (96.3 FM/620 AM) with the voice of the Catamounts Adam Lafleur in the Handy Toyota Broadcast Booth.
 
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