UMass entered the weekend two-game series with the Vermont Catamounts with a 9-6 record in Hockey East play and were fresh off two big wins against UMass-Lowell.

The first game started off fast, when James Marcou used a defenseman as a screen and snapped a wrist shot past Catamount goalie Rob Madore on the first shift of the game. The pace fast, and the action was back and forth until late in the opening frame when Jay Anctil of Vermont hopped on a bouncing puck in the UMass slot and beat Paul Dainton on the glove side. In the second, Casey Wellman rushed end to end, and like linemate Marcou, used a Catamount defenseman as a screed, wiring a shot though both the defender and goalie’s legs to give the home team Minutemen a 2-1 lead. UMass controlled the majority of play for the rest of the game, and would have gotten a larger lead if not for the play of Vermont goalie Rob Madore who made great scramble saves multiple times. With a minute remaining, Vermont pulled Madore, but had mis-communicated as the puck came to their end as doing so. James Marcou passed on a shot at the empty net and passed to Casey Wellman who buried it for his second of the game as UMass went on to take game one 3-1.

Vermont came out ready for game two. They managed to get the first goal of the game, despite being outplayed by the Minutemen for the most part early on. After the first goal, they went into shutdown mode, and if it weren’t for the eight penalties taken during the game, they would have played a textbook road game. Special teams made the difference as UMass’s powerplay was blanked on all eight opportunities, including a minute-long five on three advantage. The overall team defense, helped by spectacular play in goal by Rob Madore propelled the Catamounts to get the weekend split, beating UMass 3-0. UMass now sits tied for second in Hockey East with Boston College.