FINAL SCORE: Minnesota Duluth 2, Vermont 1
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Olivia Kilberg scored her second goal of the season with 9:45 remaining in the third period to tie the game, but Minnesota Duluth pulled out the 2-1 victory in the final minutes with a game winning goal from Emma Yanko.
 
Vermont falls to 5-10-2 overall and remains 3-6-1 in Hockey East play. Minnesota Duluth improves to 9-8-0 and remains 5-5-0 in WCHA play.
 
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"Another tough outcome tonight in a game where we felt like we played very well," Head Coach Jim Plumer said. "Credit to Duluth for their resilience and being opportunistic. I want to thank the Windjammer for their support in sponsoring the tournament and we had some great hockey at Gutterson all weekend. We've got three big games against Maine left this semester and we are focused on finishing strong."
 
After skating back and forth in the beginning minutes of the first period, the Bulldogs took the lead 7:45 into play when Naomi Rogge received a pass from Jessica Healey and fired a shot on Sydney Scobee (22 saves) through traffic that trickled into the back of the net.
 
Kilberg had the best Catamount chance of the opening period with just over five minutes remaining. Kourtney Menches won an offensive zone faceoff that gave Kilberg a shot from point blank range, but Jessica Convery (21 saves) turned it away.
 
The Catamounts killed a tripping penalty called against Sammy Kolowrat with 2:10 remaining in the first, and entered the intermission trailing 1-0.
 
Just under six minutes into the middle frame, Amanda Drobot received a pass from Ève-Audrey Picard and drove to the net with momentum, firing a shot on Convery before grabbing her own rebound and drawing an interference penalty against Sydney Brodt. A checking penalty against Michelle Lowenhielm gave Vermont 1:15 of 5-on-3 play, but despite the advantage and multiple chances, the Catamounts could not level the score.
 
UVM and UMD traded chances for the remainder of the second, with the Cats holding a 14-9 advantage in shots through the first 40 minutes.
 
Early in the third, Scobee made a breakaway save moving to her left against Ryleigh Houston, who deked to her forehand and tried to elevate the puck past the sophomore.
 
With 11:45 remaining in regulation, Alyssa Gorecki drew a penalty against Linnea Hedin, and on the ensuing power play, Saana Valkama initially put a Picard rebound past Convery for the equalizer. After a review of the goal, it was waved off, making it the second Vermont goal overturned after a review in the tournament.
 
Just ten seconds after the Hedin penalty ended, Vermont evened the score with 9:35 remaining in regulation. Menches took a pass from Kolowrat behind the Bulldog net and tried a wraparound to Convery's right. Her shot was stopped, but the rebound slid across the crease where Kilberg put the second chance home.
 
Rogge nearly netted her second of the game and third of the tournament with 5:45 remaining during a stretch of  4-on-4 play. She tipped a Healey shot from the point past Scobee that glanced off the post.
 
Gorecki picked up a tripping penalty with 2:25 remaining in regulation, and Minnesota Duluth called its timeout before the power play began. The Bulldogs controlled the puck in the Catamount zone, and with 1:38 remaining, Lowenhielm took a shot towards the net that Yanko tipped past the Catamount defenders and Scobee for the late goal.
 
Vermont called its timeout in an effort to tie the game late, but could not possess the puck in the offensive zone and the Bulldogs held on to win 2-1 and take the Windjammer Classic Championship.
 
Vermont plays its next three games against the University of Maine, first heading to Orono next weekend for a pair of 12 p.m. games on Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3 at Alfond Arena. The Catamounts then take the ice at Gutterson Fieldhouse against the Black Bears at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9.
 
The Windjammer and Upper Deck Pub is the presenting sponsor of the 2017-18 women's hockey season