WOMEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
After a record-breaking season last year the 14th-ranked Catamounts begin the 2022-23 regular season this weekend as they host RIT in a two-game set from Gutterson Fieldhouse. Game one goes Friday at 6 p.m. and is the Home Opener presented by TD Bank. On Saturday afternoon, the teams' will close the series at 2 p.m. Saturday is Poster Day presented by UVM Print & Mail. UVM's student-athletes will sign autographs in the Gutterson Fieldhouse lobby following the game.  The action will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Rob Ryan on the call.
 
RELATED LINKS
Live Stats | Live Video: ESPN+ | Tickets
CatamounTV Weekly Media: Coach Gettens | McPherson | Mlynková
 
HOME IS A GOOD PLACE TO START
Under Head Coach Jim Plumer the Catamounts are 4-3-3 in home openers at Gutterson Fieldhouse. Vermont's most recent win in a home opener was last season as they defeated RPI 3-2 in overtime with a Bella Parento tally.
 
In the program's Division I history the Catamounts are 7-9-5 in home openers. Vermont is 5-4-1 in season openers under Coach Plumer.
 
CATAMOUNTS RANKED ONCE AGAIN
After the Catamounts were ranked in the preseason poll in women's hockey for the first time in program history they continue to be ranked this week. UVM checks in at No. 14 in the DCU/USCHO poll and is 15th in the USA Today/USA Hockey poll.
 
BEECHER AND SKELTON NAMED HOCKEY EAST WEEKLY TOP PERFORMERS
Following the Catamounts 6-0 win over uOttawa in exhibition action last weekend first year Lara Beecher and alternate captain Maddy Skelton were honored as Hockey East Weekly Top Performers. Beecher had two goals in her Catamounts debut while Skelton had three assists.
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
RIT is 0-2-0 in the early stages of the new season after dropping consecutive contests with UConn last weekend. The Tigers fell 3-0 in game one and 3-2 in game two. Graduate forward Amy Dobson and sophomore forward Athena Vasdani scored the Tigers' weekend goals. Sophomore goaltender Sarah Coe made 58 saves over the two-game series.
 
Dobson is a transfer student from Penn State, last season as a junior she had 11 goals and 19 assists for the Nittany Lions. RIT features 16 underclassmen in 2022-23. During the 2021-22 campaign RIT was 2-27-4.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The weekend series marks the 17th and 18th all-time meetings between Vermont and RIT. The Catamounts have a 4-6-6 record against the Tigers, but are 3-2-2 during head coach Jim Plumer's tenure.
 
VERMONT SELECTED SECOND IN HOCKEY EAST PRESEASON POLL
The Catamounts received their highest-ever ranking in the Hockey East Coaches' Preseason Poll. After finishing in second last season with a conference mark of 18-7-2 UVM was selected by the coaches to place second again this year. The reigning five-time defending champion Northeastern was picked first. The Catamounts were the only team in Hockey East last season to defeat the Huskies at Matthews Arena in league play.
 
CZECH-MATES EARN BRONZE
Vermont forwards Tynka Pátková & Natálie Mlynková earned bronze medals at the 2022 IIHF Women's World Championships in Denmark last month. Czechia defeated Switzerland 4-2 in the bronze medal game behind two goals from Mlynková. It was Czechia's first-ever medal on the women's side. Former Catamount Blanka Skodova was also a member of the team.
 
There were three other current Catamounts in the tournament patrolling the blueline. First year Krista Parkkonen (Finland) made her World Championships debut while Sofie Skott (Denmark) and Sini Karjalainen (Finland) competed in their second World Championship at the senior level.
 
PURCHASE WOMEN'S HOCKEY SEASON TICKETS
For the first time this season fans can purchase season tickets to the women's hockey campaign. Tickets for adults are $50 and for youth 17 and under it's just $25. Secure the best deal in college hockey by calling the ticket office at (802) 656-4410.
 
The Windjammer Inn and Conference Center is the presenting sponsor of the UVM women's hockey program