After opening the season with two wins, including one against No. 9 Boston University, coach Jim Plumer and the Vermont Catamounts came into Alfond Arena on a four-game winless streak. The Maine Black Bears, a squad that itself only has two wins, one against No. 5 Boston College, were attempting to get themselves back in the win column after a tough loss to Providence.
The Black Bears cycled through all four lines within the first four and a half minutes of the first period, attempting to keep fresh legs on the ice. Vermont was able to keep those fresh legs from causing issues, with goaltender Madison Litchfield making some great saves, including a glove save of a laser from Cailey Hutchison. Tereza Vanisova found herself in the penalty box at the 07:43 mark with a checking penalty. After the penalty kill from Maine, Vanisova returned within 10 seconds on another hard hit. Maine worked hard to kill both first-period penalties, and by the end of the first period, Vermont held a 10-8 lead in shots on goal.
At 1:51 of the second period, Victoria Andreakos broke away from the pack and scored the first goal of the game with a nice cross-ice dish from Eve Audrey Picard. Just a few moments later, Kristin Gilmour had a great shot from just outside the right circle at the 5:27 of the second, but another great glove save by Litchfield prevented Maine from tying the game up. The opportunities kept coming for both sides, as at 9:43, Maine had another opportunity to score directly in front of the net, but Vendula Pribylov’s shot was stopped by a sprawling save. A slap shot power-play goal from Amanda Drobot, with a Mackenzie McNeil assist, gave the Catamounts the 2-0 lead at the 11:46 mark in the second.
The third period started with a great goal from Maine’s Brooke Stacy right past the high glove side of Litchfield at the 1:21 mark. The goal was set up by a great pass from Morgan Sakundiak, who fed the puck between two Vermont defenders. After a couple of great saves by Litchfield, Sakundiak got her second point of the night, and her first goal, to tie the game up at 4:33 of the third.
However, Vermont quickly retaliated with a goal at 5:25, as Kourtney Menches snuck what proved to be the game-winner by Maine goalie Carly Jackson, thanks to a nice feed from Eve-Audrey Picard. With 4:45 remaining, Catherine Tufts had a one-on-one with the goalie, but another great glove save by Litchfield protected the Catamounts lead for good. The final horn sounded with Maine holding the puck behind the Catamounts’ net, unable to capitalize on final opportunities.
After the loss, Maine coach Richard Reichenbach talked about the youth of his squad.
“It’s important to stick to the plan; we are struggling to find consistency right now, but we are trying to get the low’s higher,” said Reichenbach.
The Catamounts certainly had an experience edge, as Plumer pointed out.
:The final minute, when we had two experienced defenders out there in Rachel Khalouf and Taylor Willard, that certainly helps in situations like that.”
While both teams played a great game, both capitalizing and missing on key opportunities, the day favored the Catamounts in the 3-2 victory, and another Hockey East win to overtake the Black Bears in the standings.
