FINAL SCORE: #18 New Hampshire 5, Vermont 2       
DURHAM, N.H. – Four different players scored for No. 18 New Hampshire (11-9-3, 3-8-2) as they topped Vermont (9-13-3, 4-9-2) 5-2 Saturday night in Hockey East action from the Whittemore Center.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score
Highlights
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"We're a banged-up hockey team right now," said Head Coach Steve Wiedler. "Injuries, sickness, we had guys sacrificing and playing at 50%. I'll give us credit for that. And I don't think we gave up. But we couldn't get to our speed and intensity often enough. UNH pushed hard. The bye week comes at a good time, hopefully we can heal and get ready for the stretch leading up to playoffs."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Wildcats opened the scoring for the second straight evening netting the icebreaker with 5:20 to play in the first period. Alex Gagne fired a shot on net and Keenan Rancier padded it aside, but the rebound went right to Conor Lovett who tapped it home for his third goal of the season.
• Just 2:01 later UNH doubled their advantage with a power play marker from Nick Ring. Ring picked up his sixth power play goal of the year on a broken play in front of Rancier. A UVM defenseman blocked a shot in front and UNH converted on a quick one-timer in front. Jason Siedem slid it over to Ring on the backdoor for another tap-in.
• UNH extended the lead 3:28 into the second period. Gagne feathered a pass to a cutting Ryan Conmy in traffic and he roofed a wrist shot past Rancier for his team-leading 12th goal of the year.
• With 3:45 to play in the middle frame Robert Cronin scored on a one-timer for his ninth of the year to make it 4-0. Axel Mangbo came in for Rancier following the New Hampshire fourth goal.
• The Catamounts cut into the UNH lead with a power play goal with 7:10 to play in regulation. With the goaltender pulled for the extra-attacker UVM struck with a six-on-four advantage. Jax Wismer fired a low shot from the point, UNH's Jared Whale made the initial stop but from the side of the net Blake Steenerson tapped the puck to Max Strand who one-timed it home for his team-leading 20th point of the year.
• Cronin seemed to put the game out of reach with his second of the night with 5:24 to play. A wide point shot bounced off the boards and right to Cronin who tapped it home.
• The Catamounts weren't done though, off the ensuing faceoff Vermont struck back in just five seconds. Joel Maatta won the draw, and Xavier Henry just fired the puck on net from the red line. His wrist shot fooled Whale from 90 feet away for his third goal of the season.
• Vermont pulled their goalie again late in the third but couldn't cut any further into the UNH lead. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• With tonight's 5-2 decision, Community Bank N.A. will donate $150 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.
• Since Coach Wiedler has been in Catamount Country Vermont is now 6-3-1 against the Wildcats.
• With his goal tonight Max Strand is the first Vermont rookie to reach 20 points since Alex Esposito during the 2017-18 campaign.

UP NEXT
The Catamounts are off next weekend and will return to action Friday, February 7 as they travel to the Tsongas Center to face No. 12 UMass Lowell. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. The third matchup this season between the two clubs contest will air live on ESPN+ and as always it 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