Final Score: Vermont 4, Maine 2
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Senior forward Dayna Colang scored the game-winning goal on the power play 12:23 into the third period as the Catamounts defeated Maine 4-2 in Hockey East action Sunday afternoon.
 
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Vermont opened the scoring on the power play late in the first period. Taylor Willard passed along the point to Amanda Drobot who fired a shot towards goal. A Maine defender blocked Drobot's shot but Alyssa Gorecki gathered the puck and fired a shot past Maine's Meghann Treacy for her first career goal with 2:41 left in the opening frame.
 
Maine equalized with its own power play tally 8:15 into the second period. The Black Bears leading scorer Brooke Stacey took advantage of some chaos in front of Vermont's Madison Litchfield as a centering feed bounced around the crease before Stacey put it home for her fifth goal of the season. Audra Richards and Allyson Matteau were credited with assists on the game-tying goal.
 
The Black Bears pulled ahead with another power play goal at the 11:21 mark of the middle frame. Matteau fired a shot from the point that redirected in the slot off Jess Vallotton's skate and in for her first goal of the season.
 
Vermont answered right back with yet another power play goal with 5:13 left in the second period. Bridget Baker passed along the point to Daria O'Neill who one-timed a slap shot that Saana Valkama deflected past Treacy for her first career goal.
 
Midway through the third period the Catamounts earned another power play opportunity after Brooklyn Langlois was called for an illegal check on Bella Webster. Vermont converted on its third power play of the afternoon 17 seconds into the advantage. Drobot passed along the blue line to Willard, and she skated towards the middle of the ice before firing a low wrist shot on net. Colang, who was providing a screen on the play, tipped it in past Treacy for her fourth goal of the season.
 
Mackenzie MacNeil sealed the Catamounts second Hockey East win of the season with an empty net goal with 50 seconds remaining in regulation. Her first goal of the season was assisted by Colang and Valkama.
 
Making her first start Hockey East start of the season Litchfield made 22 saves to earn her first win of the year.
 
"It was great to finally put a complete game together and get rewarded with a huge win," said head coach Jim Plumer. "I'm really proud of our team for showing some real grit and mental toughness during the tough early season schedule we've had. I'm hoping this is a springboard to playing the kind of hockey I believe we are capable of playing on a regular basis."
 
The Catamounts have 11 days off before returning to action on Friday, November 13 when they host Providence College in Hockey East play at 2 p.m. Vermont closes out the two-game set with the Friars at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
 
NOTES: The Catamounts finished the afternoon 3-for-4 on the power play with seven shots on net … Dayna Colang and Taylor Willard were named the games first and second stars … Vermont ended a four-game winning streak for Maine … The Catamounts are now 7-4-1 against Maine under Coach Plumer.