PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The 11th-ranked Providence College men's hockey team was defeated by Vermont, 2-1, Friday night in a Hockey East game at Schneider Arena. Josh Burrows' goal at the 7:40 mark of the third period proved to be the game winner as the Catamounts improved to 8-10-7 overall and 7-6-5 in Hockey East action. PC fell to 12-10-3 and 9-6-3 in league play.
With the scored even at 1-1, Burrows fired a shot from the blue line that deflected off a Friar player and past PC goalie Tyler Sims (Fort Wayne, Ind.) who finished with 20 saves. At the other end, Joe Fallon stopped 36 shots, including 15 in the third period for the Catamounts. The Friars outshot the Catamounts, 37-22.
After a scoreless first period in which the Friars outshot the Catamounts, 9-7, PC struck first just 34 seconds into the second period as senior Jon Rheault (Deering, N.H.) tallied his team leading 15th goal of the season. Sophomore John Cavanagh (Warwick, R.I.) gained possession of the puck and skated into the Vermont zone before dropping the puck to Rheault, who rifled a high wrist shot from the slot that eluded Fallon. However, the Catamounts responded just 1:20 later as Kyle Medvec set up Wahsontiio Stacey right in front for his fifth goal of the season.
The two teams will complete the two-game series on Saturday, February 9 at Schneider Arena beginning at 7:00 p.m.