VERMONT WOMEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
The University of Vermont women's hockey team (8-22-2, 6-14-2 HEA) closes out the regular season this weekend as they make their first-ever trip to Merrimack (4-26-2, 2-18-2 HEA) for a two-game series. The Catamounts will faceoff against the Warriors at 7 p.m. on Friday and then again at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
 
RELATED LINKS
Friday vs. Merrimack – Live Video ($) | Live Stats
Saturday vs. Merrimack – Live Video ($) | Live Stats
 
PLAYOFF PICTURE
The Catamounts enter the final weekend of the regular season in a three-way tie for fifth place with New Hampshire and Providence at 14 points. Vermont will travel to either No. 6 Northeastern, Boston University, or Connecticut for the best-of-three Hockey East quarterfinals next weekend. UVM was 2-1-0 this season against Providence and UNH so they hold the tiebreaker. This weekend Providence faces No. 1 Boston College in a home-and-home series while New Hampshire hosts Connecticut in a two-game set.
 
COLANG LEADING THE WAY
Senior forward Dayna Colang is leading the Catamounts in scoring for the second straight season. This year she has 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points in 32 games. In her career at Vermont she now has 95 total points which ranks third all-time behind Brittany Zuback (97) and Amanda Pelkey (105). In all eight of the Catamounts wins this season she has registered at least a point. Colang has at least a point in 12 of Vermont's last 14 games.
 
THIRD PERIODS ARE THE CATAMOUNTS BEST IN LEAGUE
In Hockey East play this season Vermont has scored 51.1% of its goals in the third period. The Catamounts 22 third period tallies are the fourth most of any team in league play behind No. 5 Northeastern (33), No. 1 Boston College (33) and Boston University (32). When tied or ahead this season after the second period Vermont is 6-2-1. Merrimack's best period in league play has also been the third. Half of the teams' 28 goals in league play have come in the third.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS SUCCESS IN LEAGUE PLAY
Vermont's power play and penalty kill efforts have been impactful in Hockey East contests. The Catamounts power play is 14-for-72 in league play good for 19.4%, which is third in Hockey East behind No. 1 Boston College and No. 6 Northeastern. 14 of Vermont's 15 power play goals have come in league play. Vermont's penalty kill efforts in league play have been successful 86.8% of the time, which is also third in the league behind BC and Northeastern.
 
CATAMOUNTS FINISH STRONG IN FEBRUARY
Over the last three seasons Vermont is now 12-3-1 in regular season games during the month of February. The Catamounts strong late play has boosted their playoff standing each year. So far this season Vermont is 2-1-0 in February after sweeping New Hampshire on the road and falling at home to No. 1 Boston College.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Merrimack: The Warriors enter the final weekend of the season with some positive momentum after coming back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 tie in their last game at Providence on Sunday.
 
Freshman forward Paige Voight leads the Warriors in scoring with 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points. She scored the overtime game-winning goal at Vermont on January 4.
 
Freshman goaltender Samantha Ridgewell has continued her strong season in net for Merrimack. In Sunday's 2-2 tie at Providence she made 40 saves. In 15 of her 25 starts this year she has made 30 or more saves. She made 26 saves against the Catamounts in the teams' earlier meeting.
 
The Warriors are the most disciplined team in Hockey East averaging just 5.3 penalty minutes a game. On January 4 Merrimack only took one penalty against the Catamounts.
 
COLANG SET TO ESTABLISH NEW UVM RECORD FOR GAMES PLAYED
Dayna Colang has skated in 135 of the 137 games for Vermont over the last four years. The program record of 137 career games is held by Brittany Zuback (2011-15). The Catamounts have two more regular season games. If Colang dresses in both she would tie Zuback. The Catamounts will also be guaranteed at least two more games in the Hockey East quarterfinals.

KAYLA KRUK JOINS WOMEN'S HOCKEY THROUGH TEAM IMPACT
The women's hockey team officially drafted seven-year-old Shelburne, Vt. native Kayla Kruk through Team IMPACT. Kayla celebrated her draft day with the Catamounts last Saturday in a ceremony facilitated by the 501(c)(3) non-profit, Team IMPACT, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses through the power of team. Click here to read more about Kayla and Team IMPACT.

TEAM LEADERS
Senior Gina Repaci and junior Sarah Kelly will serve as co-captains for the University of Vermont women's hockey team this season.

ALL ACROSS THE MAP
The Catamounts have players from 10 different states (Alaska, California, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Vermont), two Canadian provinces (Alberta and Ontario) and two other countries (Czech Republic and Finland). Vermont has four players from Ontario more than any other state or province.

CATAMOUNTS PACK THE GUT ONCE AGAIN
On Friday January 29 the Catamounts hosted Connecticut in front of 1,662 fans as a part of the third annual Pack The Gut Challenge Presented by the Windjammer. The 1,662 fans were the second-most in UVM program history and the made-up the third largest regular season crowd in Hockey East history.

The 2015-16 Vermont women's hockey campaign is brought to you by the Windjammer Restaurant and Inn.