Vermont Notches 3-1 Win Over Massachusetts
Senior defenseman Nick Luukko posts two assists for Catamounts

Senior defenseman Nick Luukko had two assists for the Catamounts
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 0:47  VER1-0 EV Colin Markison (4)Mario Puskarich/7, Nick Luukko/1
2nd 3:26  VER2-0 EV GW Jarrid Privitera (2)Dan Senkbeil/3, Nick Luukko/2
2nd 9:46  VER3-0 PP Mike Paliotta (4)Mike Stenerson/6, Alexx Privitera/8
3rd 19:29.1 UMA1-3 EV EA Dennis Kravchenko (5)Ray Pigozzi/7, Marc Hetnik/5
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Massachusetts  0011
Vermont  1203
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Massachusetts  127928
Vermont  981128
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Massachusetts (3-8-0)  0/4 2/4 0
Vermont (9-3-1)  1/2 4/8 0
Massachusetts Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Henry Dill (L, 3-4-0)59:063 861125
Empty Net0:540     
Vermont Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Brody Hoffman (W, 7-1-1)60:001 127827

BURLINGTON, Vt. - Brody Hoffman made 27 saves and Jarrid Privitera netted his first career game-winning goal as 12th-ranked Vermont skated past UMass Amherst 3-1 in Hockey East action on Tuesday night at Gutterson Fieldhouse. The Catamounts improve to 9-3-1 (7-3-1 HEA) and take over sole possession of first place in the league standings, while the Minutemen drop to 3-8-0 (1-7-0 HEA).

"I thought we got better as the game wore on," said head coach Kevin Sneddon. "I don't know if that was our best game but we certainly found a way to win and that was an important two points for us heading into Hockey East break."

UVM lit the lamp just 47 seconds after the opening faceoff to take an early 1-0 lead. Mario Puskarich curled into the slot and wristed a low shot that was kicked out by the pad of Henry Dill. Colin Markison was lurking at the left doorstep to stick home the rebound as classmate Nick Luukko grabbed the second assist on the play.

Jake Fallon nearly doubled the lead later in the frame on a one-timer from the low right circle, but Dill slid across his crease and made a key glove stop. UMass out-shot Vermont 12-9 in the first period as Hoffman was perfect between the pipes to keep the Catamounts on top.

Privitera extended the lead at 3:26 of the second period as he raced onto a feed from Dan Senkbeil in the UMass slot. Privitera won a foot race to the puck and deked to his backhand to slide the puck past Dill's left pad. Midway through the frame, Mike Paliotta fired home a slap shot low glove side on Dill from the right point on the power play to give Vermont a three-goal cushion.

UVM was called for back-to-back penalties late in the period but killed off 1:13 of 5-on-3 power play time to close the second. Hoffman made a right pad save on a one-timer from the high slot, and Alexx Privitera blocked another slap shot near the right faceoff dot.

The Catamounts killed off the final 47 seconds of the UMass power play to begin the third and played strong with the lead in the final frame. The Minutemen pulled Dill for an extra skater in the closing minutes and Dennis Kravchenko drew one back with 31 seconds left as he slid a backhander five-hole on Hoffman.

UVM finished off the victory as Hoffman picked up his seventh win of the season and was named the game's No. 1 Star. The Catamount penalty kill was a perfect 4-for-4 and the power play finished at 1-for-2, pushing its mark to 5-for-7 over the last two contests. Luukko registered two assists on the night.

Vermont hits the road over Thanksgiving for a two-game non-conference series against the Maine Black Bears at 7 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 28) and Saturday (Nov. 29) in Orono. Radio coverage on WVMT 620-AM and SportsJuice.com begins at 6:30 p.m. each night with Alastair Ingram and Andy Merritt on the call. The Saturday game will be televised on Fox College Sports and also by WVII and WPME in Maine.