No. 15 Connecticut visited Burlington to play Hockey East foe No. 8 Vermont in a two-game series. After coming off two straight losses against No. 2 Northeastern, UConn looked to get back on track as it faced the Catamounts.
On Friday, Vermont scored first in the first period with under a minute to go. In response, senior forward Kate Thurman tied the game in the second period with just under six minutes remaining, assisted by fellow senior forward Coryn Tormala.
Goaltender Tia Chan and defensemen Claire Peterson and Ainsley Svetek helped the Huskies hold the Catamounts scoreless in the third period. Vermont dominated defensively in the third period too, holding the Huskies to just one shot on goal.
In overtime, neither team found the back of the net, thanks to the work of Chan and Vermont’s goaltender. With overtime ending in a tie, neither team added a win. It was the first tie in the teams’ matchup history since Nov. 15, 2019.
In a shootout, Amy Landry, Meghane Duchesne-Chalifoux, and Carlie Magier were all denied by Vermont goalie Jessie McPherson. Catamount Tynka Patkova secured the shootout win.
On Saturday, the Huskies sought revenge from the day before. Despite this, the second game was all about Vermont.
At the Gutterson Field House, the Catamounts scored three unanswered goals in the first period and four overall, scored by Sini Karjalainen, Theresa Schafzahl, Ellice Murphy (all first period) and Lara Beecher.
Just about three minutes after the fourth unanswered goal, Tormala finally put the Huskies on the board, with the help of Peterson and Thurman.
Vermont’s Ellice Murphy scored late in the second period, and Beecher capped off the 6-1 win with her second goal of the day.
The power play was effective for both teams in the second game, with UConn’s only goal coming a man up as well as Ellice Murphy’s goal for the Catamounts.
The Huskies beat Vermont in the Hockey East Semifinals last season, but the Catamounts got revenge this year.
Both schools will meet again on Jan. 14, in the brand-new Toscano Family Ice Forum in Storrs.
Coming up next for Connecticut is a home-and-home against Merrimack, with the first game this Friday, Oct. 21, at Lawler Rink in North Andover, Massachusetts, while the second game of the series is at Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum on campus.
