FINAL SCORE: #15 UMass Lowell 5, Vermont 2
BURLINGTON, Vt. – First year forward Mirko Buttazzoni had a goal and an assist Friday leading 15th ranked UMass Lowell (7-2-0) to a 5-2 win over Vermont (2-5-3) in Hockey East action.

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COACH'S QUOTE
"We weren't even close to meeting our standard," said Head Coach Stephen Wiedler. "I hated our effort on the details and that falls on me. I haven't seen the analytics, but my guess is UML won a majority of the puck battles. Time for our staff to dig deep and figure out how to get the guys to answer the bell tomorrow. They didn't tonight."

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The River Hawks opened the scoring on the first shot of the game 2:01 into the contest. Dillan Bentley skating around the back of the Vermont net and as he turned at the faceoff dot he fired a shot through traffic that Axel Mangbo never saw. Bentley's fourth of the season was assisted by Girts Silkalns and Nick Anderson.
• Vermont equalized with 6:05 to play in the first period. Timofei Spitserov dropped a pass to Will Zapernick along the boards and cut to the net. Zapernick fired a wrist shot towards the net and Spitserov redirected it past UMass Lowell's Henry Welsch to make it 1-1. Spitserov's second of the season was also assisted by Duncan Ramsay.
• UMass Lowell took control early in the second period with two goals in 2:13. Buttazzoni picked up his first career goal on a breakaway and then Stefan Owens took advantage of a fortuitous bounce off the side of the UVM net to make it a two-goal lead.
• Simon Jellus cut the lead back to one with a power play goal with 1:11 left in the middle frame. Jellus carried the puck from the UVM zone to the side of the Lowell net before centering a feed on his backhand. His pass deflected off a Lowell defenders skate and found the back of the net to make it 3-2.
• The River Hawks reestablished their two-goal edge 6:30 into the third period. Buttazzoni found Chris Delaney alone in the slot as he came on during a line change and he one-timed a quick shot past Mangbo.
• Scott Truman added an insurance marker for the River Hawks with 3:09 left in regulation. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• UVM was a perfect three-for-three on the penalty kill against a Lowell team that came into tonight's action with the best power play in the NCAA.
• Vermont has now scored six power play goals in their last five games.
• With tonight's 5-2 decision, Community Bank N.A. will donate $150 to Special Olympics Vermont. Community Bank, N.A. donates $75 per goal to Special Olympics Vermont for every goal the men's and women's team scores this season.

UP NEXT
The Catamounts and River Hawks will matchup again tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Saturday is our UVM Employee Appreciation Game. UVM staff and faculty will receive a free reserved ticket when they present their CATcard. As always, it will also be broadcast live on WVMT (96.3 FM/620 AM) with the voice of the Catamounts Adam Lafleur in the Handy Toyota Broadcast Booth. Rob Ryan will have the call on ESPN+.
 
Saturday's 50/50 is going to support the Care Closet for the Rick Marcotte Central School. Fans are encouraged to bring individually wrapped snacks to donate to the Care Closet.
 
For news and updates about the Vermont men's hockey program, follow @UVMmhockey on Instagram, X, and Facebook, and visit UVMathletics.com.
 
Handy Toyota is the presenting sponsor of the UVM men's hockey program