FINAL SCORE: #14 UMass 2, Vermont 1
AMHERST, Mass. – No. 14 UMass scored two first period goals 74 seconds apart and Michael Hrabal made 24 saves as the Minutemen held off Vermont in a 2-1 win in the Hockey East Opening Round Wednesday night from the Mullins Center. The Minutemen will face Boston University Saturday afternoon in the Hockey East Quarterfinals.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score
Photo Gallery
Postgame: Coach Wiedler
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Minutemen opened the scoring with 7:44 left in the first period. Cole O'Hara fired a shot from the point that was deflected at the top of the slot by Lucas Mercuri and it just found its way past Keenan Rancier to make it 1-0. It was Mercuri's tenth goal of the season. With the assist O'Hara become the second UMass player in program history to reach 50 points in a single season.
• UMass doubled its advantage 74 seconds later on a great individual effort by Ryan Lautenbach. Lautenbach forced a turnover in the Minutemen zone, and he took the puck the other way in transition. Lautenbach caught a UVM defender flat-footed on the play and cut to the crease before sliding home his sixth goal of the year to make it 2-0.
• The Catamounts bounced right back with a great shift and were rewarded right away. From the point Jax Wismer fed a cutting Colin Kessler on the edge of the slot and he fired home his 12th goal of the season past UMass' Michael Hrabal. Max Strand earned the secondary assist on the goal which came with 5:21 left in the first period.
• After a scoreless middle frame the Catamounts pushed for an equalizer in the third period. Vermont held UMass without a shot until there was 8:20 left in regulation.
• The Catamounts outshot UMass 8-2 in the third period, but they couldn't find another goal.
• In the final 74 seconds with Rancier pulled for an extra-attacker UMass defenders blocked four shots to preserve the win.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• With tonight's 2-1 decision, Community Bank N.A. will donate $75 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.
• Vermont held UMass to two shots on goal in the third period, the lowest output by a Catamounts opponent in a single period during the 2024-25 campaign.
• The Catamounts matched a season-high with 17 blocked shots Wednesday evening.
• Colin Kessler who was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team earlier in the day ends the season tied for the team-lead in scoring with 12 goals. He led all players with five shots on goal.

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