Catamounts fend off Huskies 3-2
Toolbox
staff report - Published: November 28, 2009
BOSTON — Sophomore Rob Madore made 28 saves and three different Catamounts scored goals as No. 18 Vermont held off Northeastern 3-2 at Matthews Arena on Friday night. The Catamounts (5-5-1, 4-4-1 HEA) moved within 1-point of first place in Hockey East with the victory. The loss was just the fifth in the last 23 home games for the Huskies, who dropped to 5-6-1 (3-5-1 HEA).
"I was really impressed," Vermont head coach Kevin Sneddon said. "We had a tough week of practice. We were pretty tough on our guys after the loss to UMass. We wanted to make sure we got our point across and they responded really well."
"I was very impressed with the intensity we played with. That's how we should play every night and that's the challenge we've put forth to our guys is that if we compete like that for 60 minutes we're a pretty good hockey team."
Senior Brayden Irwin scored his team-high fifth goal of the season for the Catamounts. Junior Jack Downing and freshman David Pacan also scored.
Senior Kyle Kraemer scored for the fifth time in the last six games for the Huskies. Freshman Justin Daniels added a goal and freshman Chris Rawlings stopped 23 shots.
Irwin gave Vermont a 1-0 lead at 3:28 of the opening period. Rawlings tried to clear the puck during a NU line change and Irwin intercepted the pass. Then he fired a wrist shot from the right circle past Rawlings.
The Catamounts took a 2-0 advantage at 12:08 on Downing's first goal since Oct. 10. Downing backhanded in a rebound at the left post. Freshman Sebastian Stålberg and senior Brian Roloff both assisted.
NU sliced the deficit in half at 6:29 of the second period when Kraemer beat Madore with a wrister from the bottom of the right circle.
Pacan answered for Vermont at 10:10 to extend the lead to 3-1. Pacan scored on a snap shot from the slot for his second goal in as many games.
"The last couple of games he's starting to get his confidence," Sneddon said. "He had two points against UMass and a big goal tonight. I really like the energy he is bringing to that line. I thought he was physical, he was tough to knock off the puck and he's at a point now where he's not over-thinking the game; he's just playing."
Down by a pair of goals, NU had back-to-back power-play opportunities early in the third period but failed to convert. The Huskies went 0-for-4 on the man advantage and were held scoreless on the power play for just the second time in 12 games this season.
Daniels scored for the Huskies at 9:38 of the final period to make the score 3-2 Catamounts. But Madore made eight third period saves to preserve the win.
"He was excellent. I'm so proud of Rob," Sneddon said. "It's been an up and down roller coaster ride for him so far this season but that was probably his first real solid 60 minutes. We're hoping that's a sign of things to come."
Vermont returns to action against No. 13 Yale on Monday at Gutterson Fieldhouse at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are currently available online at www.UVMathletics.com.
NOTES: Check back to www.UVMathletics.com for highlights from tonight's contest … Vermont is 9-3-4 against Northeastern since joining Hockey East … The Catamounts are 5-0 this season when holding their opponents scoreless on the power play … NU out shot UVM 30-26 … Brayden Irwin has a team leading 11 points … Irwin had a team best five shots and a plus-2 rating … Vermont improved to 3-4 on the road while NU fell to 4-2 at home.
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