FINAL SCORE (OT): Vermont 2, Maine 2
ORONO, ME. – Vermont (13-15-5, 7-10-4 HEA) collected an extra conference point towards Hockey East team standings after winning the shootout over Maine (11-17-4, 7-11-4 HEA) 2-1 on Friday evening from the Harold Alfond Sports Arena. All three regular season games with the Black Bears went to extra time this season, including two of those three contests resulting in a UVM shootout victory.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"Big two points for us on the road today," said Head Coach Jim Plumer. "We got off to a very slow start and Maine really took it to us in the first period. We came alive in the second with two really good power plays and felt like that turned the momentum in our favor. Our penalty kill came up big in the third period and Morgann Skoda and Lila Pannacciulli took care of things for us in the shootout. Next big game is Sunday against Merrimack."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Black Bears opened scoring 8:10 into the game when Lulu Rucinski found Lila Shea in front of the net, seeing Shea score her third goal of the season as Maine took the opening 1-0 advantage.
• Vermont bounced back in the second period, scoring 12:59 into the middle frame when Sophia DeAnzeris denied a breakout opportunity from Maine, sending the puck down the wall to Rose-Marie Brochu who then whipped a pass to Oona Havana flying down the slot. Once receiving the pass, Havana sniped a snapshot past the glove of Kiia Lahtinen for her tenth goal of the season, knotting the score at 1-1.
• The Catamounts gained their first lead of the game on the power play less than three minutes later, this time getting the go ahead goal from Brochu who wheeled her way to the middle of the ice after corralling the puck off the boards, electing to rifle a wrist shot past the blocker side of Lahtinen, scoring her fifth goal of the season, earning UVM the 2-1 lead.
• Maine responded 58 seconds later, seeing first year Mackenzie Podewell feed fellow first year Isabelle Michaud on a two-on-one rush, wasting no time burying her ninth goal of the season, tying the score at 2-2.
• To begin the third period, the Catamounts committed three separate minor penalties that put them shorthanded for six of the opening eight minutes in the final frame, but Lily Prendergast stood tall, making seven total saves to keep the Black Bears from regaining the lead.
• For the remainder of regulation, UVM outshot Maine on goal eight to one, but neither team was able to find the back of the net as the Catamounts got ready to play in their second straight game going the distance to overtime.
• In the overtime period, Prendergast made three saves and Lahtinen recorded one, anchoring both their teams to the shootout.
• Stephanie Jacob got scoring started in the shootout for Maine, but Morgann Skoda responded on the other end, patiently out waiting Lahtinen and picking the top left corner to knot the shootout at 1-1.
• Prendergast made a stop on Maine's Michaud during the Black Bears' second attempt, setting up Lila Pannacciulli who took the shootout lead after deking Lahtinen out of position and using her forehand to stuff the puck across the goal line.
• Prendergast made the shootout winning save on Podewell, securing Vermont the shootout win and ultimately the extra conference point towards Hockey East team standings.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Brochu had a game high two points on one goal and one assist while winning 11 of her 20 faceoffs. It's Brochu's second multi-point game this season.
• Havana netted her tenth goal of the season to go along with a tied game-high five shots on goal.
• DeAnzeris notched one assist on Friday, her third of the season.
• Prendergast made 29 total saves and notched her first career shootout victory in her first career shootout appearance on Friday against Maine.
• Ashley Kokavec skated in her 100th career game on Friday, recording one shot on goal and two blocked shots.
• Vermont successfully killed all four Maine power plays on Friday. In the last three games, UVM is a perfect 14-14 on the penalty kill. 
• UVM outshot Maine on goal 32-31.
• With tonight's 2-2 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 Catamounts will return to Gutterson Fieldhouse for their final home game of the regular season, hosting Merrimack on Sunday (Feb. 15). Puck drop is slated for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
 
For news and updates about the Vermont women's hockey program, follow @UVMwhockey on Instagram, X, and Facebook, and visit UVMathletics.com.
 
The Windjammer Inn and Conference Center is the presenting sponsor of the UVM women's hockey program