BURLINGTON, Vt. - Brittany Zuback and Danielle Rancourt scored for the Vermont women's hockey team as they tied the first place Providence Friars 2-2 in Hockey East action Sunday afternoon at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
Nicole Anderson opened the scoring for the Friars on the power play 4:50 into the first period. Lexi Slattery deflected a point shot in front that was saved by Vermont goaltender Roxanne Douville, but the Anderson corralled the rebound in the crease to score her team leading ninth goal of the season.
Zuback answered for the Catamounts at the 11:40 mark of the first frame. Zuback scored her team leading ninth goal of the season right in front of the Providence netminder Sarah Bryant. Meghan Huertas' pass from the point deflected in front off a Friars defenseman and Zuback beat Bryant with a quick backhand.
After a scoreless second period Rancourt broke the deadlock just 2:41 into the third period. Gina Repaci hit Rancourt in stride with a pass as she entered the Providence zone. Rancourt cut into the slot and beat Bryant with a quick wrist shot for her third goal of the season.
Under two minutes later the Friars knotted the game up at two with Haley Frade's sixth goal of the year. Anderson forced a Vermont turnover on a botched breakout pass and fed Frade at the back post for an easy finish.
With 4:58 left in the third period the Catamounts appeared to have taken the lead as Repaci walked into the slot and beat Bryant with a shot through her five-hole. However the referees disallowed the goal, ruling that a Vermont skater was in the crease.
The Catamounts and Friars remained scoreless through regulation and headed to overtime. Douville and Bryant turned aside multiple chances by both teams as the Friars and Catamounts both earned their second Hockey East tie of the season. "I'm really pleased with the improvements we've shown over the last three weekends," said head coach Jim Plumer. "I am starting to really feel like the team and the coaching staff are on the same page and it's great to able to compete at a high level for 60 minutes consistently. Providence is a good team and this was another solid step forward for us."
After a week off for Thanksgiving the Catamounts conclude the 2012 portion of it schedule as they travel to face Connecticut in a two-game Hockey East series in Storrs, Conn.
NOTES: Vermont sophomores Brittany Zuback, Meghan Huertas, and Amanda Pelkey are all on three-game point streaks ... The Catamounts are undefeated in their last three Hockey East contests, the first such streak since Jan. 30 - Feb. 11 2010 ... Sunday was the annual Teddy Bear toss sponsored by the Vermont Teddy Bear Company, 80 bears were collected and will be donated to patients at Fletcher Allen Health Care, Starr Farm Nursing Home, and Burlington Health & Rehab.