DURHAM, N.H. – Ryan Philbrick scored the game-winner with 4:05 to play in the third period lifting New Hampshire to a 4-2 win over Vermont Friday night in Hockey East action from the Whittemore Center in the Catamounts Hockey East Opener.

RELATED LINKS
Box Score
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"Hard fought battle," said Head Coach Steve Wiedler. "I didn't love our habits and details in the second period.  When that shows up in a team it's on the head coach. So, I have to wear this one. We had good habits and details in the first, lost it in the second, dialed it back in for the third, but that's not enough at this level. I'm wearing this one.  Hand up, it starts and ends right here, but I'll tell you something else, the lesson will stick."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Catamounts opened the scoring just 2:04 into Friday's contest with a great play in transition. On a three-on-three rush Matteo Michels broke to the outside as UVM entered the zone, and he fed a cross-crease pass to Jens Richards who beat his defender and tapped it home for his first goal of the season. Ethan Burroughs also earned an assist on the play.
• UNH equalized 2:23 into the second period on the power play. Cam MacDonald skated into the slot and fired a wrist shot past Aiden Wright with a big UNH screen in front. MacDonald's first collegiate goal was assisted by Brendan Fitzgerald and Jason Siedem.
• Midway through the second frame the Wildcats had a 91 second two-man advantage looking to take the lead. Duncan Ramsay, Thomas Sinclair and Philip Törnqvist each blocked shots as UVM held down the fort keeping it 1-1.
• The Wildcats did take the lead with just 44.7 seconds left in the second. From the corner Siedem shuffled a bouncing puck towards the net and on the doorstep, Felix Gagnon was able to redirect it past Wright.
• Dawson Good evened things back up 2:55 into the final frame. Good won a puck battle behind the net and cycled it down low to Michels. Michels fed Ramsay at the point, and he snapped shot towards the crease. Good redirected the shot and UNH's Kyle Chauvette made a great stop but Good made a diving effort to tap home the rebound.
• Philbrick broke the deadlock with 4:05 to play on a net front scramble. Wright made an initial save on Philbrick, but the puck was loose in the crease. He tapped it home for the winner.
• Morgan Winters sealed the UNH win with an empty net tally with 31 seconds to play.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• First year forward Cédrick Guindon was the team leader in shots with three Friday.
• Co-Captain Philip Törnqvist led the Catamounts with three blocked shots Friday night.
• With this evening's 4-2 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.

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 ESPN+.

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