MEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
Vermont (0-3-2) is back in action this weekend as they travel to face UConn (4-2-1) for a pair of matinee league matchups. On Saturday afternoon the teams will face off at 3:30 p.m. from the XL Center in downtown Hartford. On Sunday they will battle again but at the Toscano Family Ice Forum on-campus in Storrs. Sunday's matchup is a 3 p.m. puck drop. Both games will air live on ESPN+ and as always, the games will also be broadcast on WVMT with the voice of the Catamounts Adam Lafleur in the Handy Toyota Broadcast Booth. 
 
RELATED LINKS
Buy Tickets: Saturday | Sunday
Watch Live: Saturday | Sunday
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Live Stats: Saturday | Sunday
 
SPECIAL TEAMS HELPING LEAD WAY
The Catamounts are ranked fifth in the NCAA and second in Hockey East with a 94.7% penalty kill this season. UVM has successfully killed off 18 of their opponents 19 opportunities with the extra man. The only power play goal given up this year has been a five-on-three opportunity.
 
LOMBARDI LEADS CATAMOUNTS LAST WEEKEND WITH FRIARS
Last weekend junior forward Massimo Lombardi had a goal and two assists for the Catamounts as they pushed No. 12 Providence to overtime in back-to-back games. It was his first three-point Hockey East weekend. He is tied for the team lead in scoring with two goals and three assists for five points.
 
MALINSKI BLOCK PARTY
Sophomore defenseman Jack Malinski leads the Catamounts with 11 blocked shots this season. He is fifth in Hockey East with the 11 blocks. He has blocked three or more shots on three separate occasions.
 
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES

• The Huskies are 4-2-1 this season and 1-1-1 in league play. Last weekend they earned four league points against #15 UMass.
• Junior forward Jake Percival scored two goals in the Huskies 3-2 win Saturday over UMass, one was shorthanded. Percival leads the Huskies with six goals this season.
• Junior goaltender and UNH transfer Tyler Muszelik was named Hockey East Goaltender of the Week. He made 57 saves in an undefeated weekend for the Huskies.
• Muszelik is 1-1-0 in two career games against Vermont. He stopped 50 of 56 shots in those games good for a .892 save percentage. His 1/27/24 6-3 win over Vermont at the Gut was his last action for the Wildcats.
• Jens Richards is the only current Catamount with two goals against Muszelik. He scored twice on 1/27/24, once shorthanded.
• Vermont leads the overall series 26-15-1 with UConn, although the Huskies have won six of the last seven contests.
• The Catamounts first-ever win against a team currently in Hockey East came against the Huskies. On December 27, 1963, in their inaugural campaign Vermont defeated the Huskies 11-2.
• Vermont's last win at UConn came on March 4, 2022, in a 5-3 win at the XL Center. Will Zapernick and Joel Määttä each had a goal and an assist in that contest. It was Määttä's first career multi-point game.

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. Zapernick has also played in all five contests this season.
 
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