ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Sebastian Törnqvist scored his first career game-winner 1:24 into overtime and Aiden Wright made a career-high 45 saves to lead Vermont in a 2-1 win over St. Cloud State at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center Friday night.

RELATED LINKS
Box Score
Highlights
Postgame with Owen Gund: Coach Moser
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"It was a good road win," said Head Coach Steve Wiedler. "The boys bent but didn't break. Aiden Wright was an ultra-competitor. Cédrick scores a big PP goal. Proud of our guys right down to the final game-winning play."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Friday's game opened with two full St. Cloud State power plays in the opening five minutes. Wright made five saves on the two extra-man opportunities. He made 12 saves in the first period as neither team found the scoresheet in the opening 20.
• The Catamounts got on the board first on the power play with 4:02 to play in the middle frame. Colin Kessler won a faceoff clean back to Caeden Herrington. Herrington passed along the point to Cédrick Guindon and he rifled a slapshot home for his first collegiate goal.
• St. Cloud State responded with its own power play tally 4:57 into the third period. Some quick cross-ice passing left Tyson Gross alone in the slot and he beat Wright with a snapshot just under the crossbar for his first goal of the campaign.
• Both teams would head to overtime for the first time this season. In overtime Gross fired a shot that was blocked by Max Strand and sent the Catamounts in the other direction. Törnqvist and Kessler skated into the St. Cloud State zone on a two-on-one. Kessler fired a shot hard and low that created a rebound that popped right to Törnqvist who tapped home the winner into an empty net for the Catamounts.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Aiden Wright is the first Catamounts goaltender to make 40+ saves in a game since Gabe Carriere made 42 at Providence on Oct. 27, 2023.
• Wright's .953 save percentage is seventh in the NCAA after Friday's action, his 1.68 goals-against average is 12th.
• With Colin Kessler's two assists this evening he has points in four straight games dating back to last year. It is the longest point streak of his career. He has four assists in three games this season.
• Co-Captain Philip Törnqvist led the Catamounts with three blocked shots Friday night, including two in quick succession on a UVM penalty kill in the second period.
• Vermont had another strong night at the faceoff dot Friday winning 39 of the 72 draws (54.2%). UVM is fifth in the NCAA winning 56.0% of their faceoffs.
• With this evening's 2-1 decision, Community Bank N.A. will donate $100 to Special Olympics Vermont. Community Bank, N.A. donates $50 per goal to Special Olympics Vermont for every goal the men's and women's team scores this season.
• With tonight's Win, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to the Lund Family Center through the Cat's Win, Community Win's initiative. Vermont Mutual has donated over $5 Million Dollars since launching their Charitable Giving Fund in 2014.

UP NEXT
The two clubs will face off again at 7 p.m. (ET) on Saturday. As always, the game will air live on WVMT (96.3 FM/620 AM) with the voice of the Catamounts Owen Gund on the call. The action will also be streamed live on NCHC.TV. A daily pass is available for $16.95.

For news and updates about the Vermont men's hockey program, follow @UVMmhockey on Instagram, X, and Facebook, and visit UVMathletics.com.