WOMEN'S HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
The Catamounts return from the semester break this weekend at Gutterson Fieldhouse beginning a crucial 13-game stretch of Hockey East games to close out the 2022-23 regular season. The 13th ranked Catamounts will host No. 9 Providence in two-game series this weekend in a rematch of the 2022 Hockey East Quarterfinals. The teams will faceoff at 6 p.m. on Friday night and then again at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Both games will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with Rob Ryan on the call.
 
Saturday will be Youth Day presented by Healthy Living. In the Indoor Track (adjacent to Gutterson Fieldhouse) there will be a face painter, lawn games, a dress like a Catamount station, arts and crafts and small giveaways from Healthy Living from 4-5:30 p.m. For kids 12 and younger admission is free. Following the game there will be a Post Game Skate with the Cats. All participants must wear a helmet. In addition, anyone who attends Saturday's women's basketball game at 1 p.m. will also receive free admission to catch the Catamounts and Friars.
 
RELATED LINKS
CatamounTV Weekly Press Conference: Coach Plumer | Mlýnková
Live Stats
Live Video: ESPN+ | International Streaming ($)
Tickets
 
JOIN THE UVM ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HARTFORD AFFINITY GROUP IN STORRS JANUARY 14
Alumni and families are welcome to join the UVM Alumni Association Harford Affinity group for a pregame gathering in Storrs, CT then head to watch the UVM vs. UConn game. Enjoy classic pub far and UVM fan gear on us. For more information and to register for the free event please visit
https://www.alumni.uvm.edu/s/1690/alumni/index.aspx?sid=1690&pgid=3974&gid=2&cid=9824&ecid=9824&post_id=0
 
BIG WEEKEND IN THE STANDINGS
The Friars sit in second place in Hockey East with 33 points in 15 games played. The Catamount enter the weekend in third place with 28 points in 14 games played. Vermont and Providence will play each other in their next three games with nine points up for grabs. Northeastern sits in first place with 44 points in 17 games played. Entering Thursday night's action there was a three-way tie for fourth place between Maine, Boston College and UConn at 24 points.
 
McPHERSON BACKSTOPPING THE CATS
Junior goaltender Jessie McPherson is tied for fifth in the NCAA with 12 wins this season. She has maintained a 2.03 goals-against average which is 18th in the NCAA. McPherson has 31 wins in her career at Vermont, she is approaching Madison Litchfield's (2013-17) program record of 32.
 
LONG CHANGE, LONG PERIOD
The Catamounts have been most effective this season during the second period, when both teams have the long change. UVM has outscored its opponents 26-10 in the second and outshot teams 221-124.
 
OFFENSE AND DEFENSE AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
With 3.2 goals-per game the Catamounts offense ranks 11th in the NCAA. Vermont has scored five or more goals six times in 21 games this season. Vermont is giving up just 2.0 goals per game which is 12th best in the NCAA.
 
SCOUTING THE FRIARS
The Friars carry an impressive 16-5-1 mark into 2023. They are 11-3-1 in league play. However, Providence has played just six games on the road this season, they are 4-1-1 in those contests. Burlington is the Friars furthest road trip of the season thus far. In their last game and road contest they handed No. 4 Quinnipiac its second loss of the season in a 3-2 decision.
 
Swedish Olympian and graduate student Sara Hjalmarsson leads the Friars in goals, assists and points with 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points in 22 games this season. She also has four game-winning goals this year. Last season she had two goals and one assist in two games against Vermont.
 
Graduate goaltender Sandra Abstreiter has started all 22 games this season for Providence. She has made 40 or more saves four times this season for the Friars. Her .943 save percentage his tied for second best in Hockey East.

SERIES HISTORY
Friday night will be the 59th all-time meeting between the two teams. Providence leads the series with a record of 34-20-4. Vermont topped Providence three times at home during the 2021-22 campaign. In the regular season UVM prevailed 3-1 and 4-1 behind three goals and two assists from former captain Kristina Shanahan. In the Hockey East Quarterfinals UVM topped the Friars 4-1 led by two goals and an assist from Theresa Schafzahl on February 26, 2022. The Friars last win at the Gut came on January 5, 2020 in a 3-1 decision.
 
JOIN US FOR UVM HOCKEY ALUMNAE WEEKEND JANUARY 20-21
Women's Hockey Alumnae are invited back to campus to reconnect with teammates and the current program!  Please visit go.uvm.edu/wihalum to register today!

Friday, January 20
6 p.m. - Pack the Gut presented by the Windjammer - Vermont v. Holy Cross

Saturday, January 21
11:45 a.m. - Alumnae Game (if enough interest)
12:45 p.m. - Family Skate
1:45 p.m. - Alumnae Reception
4 p.m. - Vermont v. Northeastern
 
PACK THE GUT PRESENTED BY WINDJAMMER JANUARY 20
Fans, save the date for this seasons Pack the Gut Challenge presented by the Windjammer on Friday, January 20, vs. Holy Cross at 6 p.m. Admission is only $2 and free for kids 12 and younger and free for UVM students. Help us break the women's Hockey East regular season attendance record which was set in 2017 with a total of 2,136 fans in attendance.
 
CZECH-MATES EARN BRONZE
Vermont forwards Tynka Pátková & Natálie Mlýnková earned bronze medals at the 2022 IIHF Women's World Championships in Denmark in September. Czechia defeated Switzerland 4-2 in the bronze medal game behind two goals from Mlýnková. It was Czechia's first-ever medal on the women's side. Former Catamount Blanka Škodová 
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.
 
The Windjammer Inn and Conference Center is the presenting sponsor of the UVM women's hockey program