WOMEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
The Vermont Catamounts host the Merrimack Warriors at Gutterson Fieldhouse this weekend for the first home series of 2019. The two-game series opens up Friday (Jan. 11) at 7 p.m. and closes Saturday (Jan. 12) at 4 p.m.
 
RELATED LINKS
Friday (Jan. 11): WATCH | LIVE STATS | Game Notes (.pdf)
Saturday (Jan. 12):  WATCH | LIVE STATS

SCOUTING THE WARRIORS
Merrimack enters the weekend with an 11-7-3 (7-6-1 WHEA) record for fifth in league standings, led by Katelyn Rae's 19 points and Samantha Ridgewell's top-tier goaltending. While leading the team in points, Rae paces the Warriors' goal scoring with 14 tallies on the season, which is second-most in Hockey East. Ridgewell is the expected goaltender for the Warriors with a .945 SV%, 1.58 GAA, and a 10-5-3 mark. The senior netminder owns the second-best SV% in Hockey East and fourth-best in the country while stopping a league-high 498 shots. Rookie Julia MacLean has the most assists (11) for Merrimack while Gabby Jones leads the freshmen in scoring with 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists). The Warriors have already matched their season win total from last season after going 11-20-3 (6-16-2 WHEA) to miss the playoffs.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Catamounts are 3-6-1 in 10 games against Merrimack dating back to Jan. 4, 2016 with a 2-3-0 mark in the last five contests. UVM went 2-1-0 against the Warriors a season ago with both wins coming on the road at Lawler Rink. Taylor Flaherty had a goal in both of Vermont's wins and Val Caldwell added two assist on the road trip. This season's trip to North Andover, Massachusetts resulted in a 2-1 loss for the Catamounts, but an individual milestone was recorded as rookie Theresa Schafzahl netted her first career goal in the third period. The Austria native added a career-high 10 shots on goal in the October contest, which remains the most by UVM skater this season.

LAST TIME OUT
Vermont split the road series at No. 7 Providence last weekend to gain an important two points in the Hockey East standings. The Catamounts won the first game 5-4 in an overtime thriller against the nationally-ranked Friars. Providence jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but goals in the final 2:29 of the first period by Ève-Audrey Picard and Olivia Kilberg tied the game. The two squads went on to exchange goals in the second and third periods, but it was Alyssa Gorecki's fifth of the season that tied the game late to force overtime. In overtime, Saana Valkama directed a shot on net and Ali O'Leary dove to bat the puck past the Friars' goaltender for the clinching goal. UVM fell 2-1 the following day after a two-goal second period by the hosts. Down 2-0 in the middle frame, Maude Poulin-Labelle cut the lead in half for the Catamounts' only goal of the game.
 
CATAMOUNT KIDS CONFERENCE (Jan. 12)
Kids are encouraged to stick around after the game Saturday (Jan. 12) for the annual Kids Conference. The young fans will receive a Vermont credential for the exclusive opportunity to ask four Catamount players any questions they have.
 
PACK THE GUT (presented by The Windjammer and Upper Deck Pub)
On Friday, Feb. 1, the Vermont Catamounts host the annual Pack the Gut challenge as they look to break the Hockey East attendance record (2,136 fans) that was set in the 2017 Pack the Gut. All tickets are on sale for $2. Presented by The Windjammer and Upper Deck Pub, this year's push to break the record will see the Catamounts host the Boston University Terriers and benefit Kayla's Directory. Kayla has been a member of the Vermont women's hockey team since 2015 through Team Impact.
 
CATS IN THE PROS
Amanda Pelkey '15 and Taylor Willard '18 lead the Vermont alumnae in scoring at the professional ranks. Pelkey's Boston Pride lead the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) with a 7-3-0 record through 10 games. Rachael Ade '17 and the Connecticut Whale sit in a tie for fourth with the Metropolitan Riveters. In the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL), Willard and the Montreal Canadiennes are three points back from first place in league standings. Gina Repaci '16 and the Markham Thunder are third in the league while Mackenzie MacNeil '18 and Brittany Zuback '15 are in fifth with the Toronto Furies.

	Vermont Women's Hockey Alumnae Stats (as of 1/10)
Name	Team	Position	GP	G	A	P
Amanda Pelkey '15	Boston Pride (NWHL)	F	10	3	3	6
Rachael Ade '17	Connecticut Whale (NWHL)	D	8	0	0	0
Gina Repaci '16	Markham Thunder (CWHL)	D	18	0	0	0
Taylor Willard '18	Montreal Canadiennes (CWHL)	D	15	2	4	6
Mackenzie MacNeil '18	Toronto Furies (CWHL)	F	14	1	1	2
Brittany Zuback '15	Toronto Furies (CWHL)	F	11	0	0	0
Name	Team	Position	GP	GAA	SV%	SO
Madison Litchfield '17	Boston Pride (NWHL)	G	0	0.00	.000	0

 
The Windjammer and Upper Deck Pub is the presenting sponsor of the 2018-19 women's hockey season