Graham Mink scored two goals, including the gamewinner with 2:32 remaining in the game, to lift the University of Vermont to a 3-2 win over Princeton.
Mink, who has three goals and three assists for six points in two games, was a force throughout the game. He repeatedly used his size and speed to create havoc in the offensive zone.
“Mink was a dominant force for us on the road last weekend,” Vermont head coach Mike Gilligan said. “He is a leader, he’s a strong kid who goes to the net hard, and he was carrying people to the net all night tonight. I thought Graham and Ryan Miller played very, very well tonight.”
The win puts Vermont in a tie for the ECAC lead with a perfect 3-0-0 record. The Catamounts, 3-2-0 overall, won the first three league games in a season for the first time in Gilligan’s 17-year tenure.
Mink’s game-winner came on a redirected shot from Andreas Moborg from the point. Jerry Gernander also assisted.
Princeton got on the scoreboard first with five minutes remaining in the opening period when they cashed in on a 5-on-3 power play opportunity. Chris Corrinet lit the lamp from right in front, with assists going to Brad Parsons and Kirk Lamb.
Dave Stathos was very sharp in the Princeton net, stopping 15 shots in ther first period alone as the Catamounts peppered him with a number of quality shots. Stathos used his quick left glove hand to stymie at least three excellent scoring opportunities for the Catamounts by Graham Mink, Ryan Cox and Bryson Busniuk. Stathos finished with 31 saves for the Tigers (1-1-3, 0-1-2).
Mink finally solved Stathos late in the second period when he skated in from center ice, made a quick move at the blue line and ripped a snapshot high to the glove side that eluded the Princeton netminder. It was Mink’s second goal of the season, and his first-even strength goal since his freshman year. In 1999-2000, Mink scored seven goals, six on the power play and one even strength.
The Catamounts went on the power play (4-on-3) for the fourth time in the game early in the third period when Princeton’s Kirk Lamb was whistled for tripping at 0:24. It didn’t take Coach Mike Gilligan’s team long to capitalize on the man-up situation, as senior Andreas Moborg scored a beautiful goal top shelf to the glove side after taking a feed from J.F. Caudron. Jerry Gernander also assisted on the goal, Moborg’s second of the year.
Princeton answered right back with a power-play goal of their own at 4:41 when Lamb made up for his earlier miscue with a goal from the left circle.
Allen made 32 saves in net for Vermont, while Moborg had a goal and an assist, and Jerry Gernander had two assists.
Vermont hosts Yale Saturday night and Princeton travels to Dartmouth.
