Feb. 25, 2006

#15 Vermont and #4 BU Skate to Tie For Second Straight Night

Final Score: Vermont 2, BU 2 (OT)
Link to Box Score: 
http://www.collegehockeystats.net/0506/boxes/mbu_ver1.f25

BURLINGTON, Vt. - Overtime has become a theme for the University of 
Vermont men’s hockey team in the last month. Playing in their sixth 
overtime contest in the last nine games the 15th-ranked Catamounts 
skated to a 2-2 tie with No. 4 Boston University in front of a sellout 
crowd of 4,003 at Gutterson Fieldhouse on senior night. With the tie 
the Catamounts are 18-10-6 overall and 10-9-6 in Hockey East while the 
Terriers are 19-9-4 and 15-7-3 in conference.

“There wasn’t a lot of wiggle room out there on either side,” Vermont 
head coach Kevin Sneddon said. “Both teams played 130 minutes of great 
two way hockey this weekend. Obviously we would have liked to hold the 
lead in both games but I think when we look back at it this is going to 
be a big weekend for us. The guys are confident they can compete 
against arguably one of the best teams in the country. Our guys have 
confidence now we can play with anyone in this league.”

The Catamounts have played in a total of nine overtime games this 
season going 3-0-6. The Vermont single-season record for overtime games 
is 10 back in the 2000-01 season.

The Terriers jumped out to an early lead at 1:35 of the first period 
when junior Kenny Roche scored his 13th goal of the year to make it 1-0 
BU.

Vermont stormed back with two goals in the second period. On the power 
play freshman Peter Lenes (Shelburne, Vt.) scored his 11th goal of the 
season at 8:09 of the period to tie the game 1-1. Lenes deflected a 
shot by sophomore Torrey Mitchell (Greenfield Park, Quebec) past BU 
junior goalie John Curry. Freshman Dean Strong (Mississauga, Ontario) 
also assisted on the play.

The Catamounts took a 2-1 lead at 15:30 when junior assistant captain 
Kenny Macaulay (Baddeck, Nova Scotia) also notched a power-play goal. 
Macaulay fired a shot from just inside the blue line for his fourth 
score of the season. Senior captain Jaime Sifers (Stratford, Conn.) and 
Mitchell each assisted on the goal.

For the second straight contest the Terries were down a goal in the 
third period only to come back and tie the game. At 5:24 of the final 
period junior Kevin Schaeffer tied the score at two with his 13th goal 
of the year.

BU would outshoot Vermont 11-1 in the third period and overtime 
combined but the game would in a tie for the second straight night.

Vermont senior goalie Travis Russell (Essex Junction, Vt.) made 25 
saves and is 4-0-1 in net on the season. Curry made 17 stops in goal 
for the Terriers. The Catamounts went 2-for-6 on the power play and 
held the Terriers to 0-for-4.

Following the game Vermont’s eight seniors Baron Becker (Waterford, 
Mich.), Jeff Corey (Boothwyn, Pa.), Ben Driver (Georgia, Vt.), Joey 
Gasparini (Grand Forks, N.D.), Brady Leisenring (Stowe, Vt.), Travis 
Russell (Essex Junction, Vt.), Jaime Sifers (Stratford, Conn.) and Matt 
Syroczynski (Hamburg, N.Y.) were all honored on senior night. Vermont 
senior student manager Matt Hanson (Peabody, Mass.) was also honored. 
Hanson was a two-year player with the Catamounts and a video 
coordinator.

Next weekend Vermont visits UMass-Lowell for two games at Tsognas Arena 
to wrap up the regular season. The games on Friday, March 3 and 
Saturday, March 4 both start at 7:00pm. Friday’s game will be televised 
on NESN. The Catamounts won this season’s first meeting with the River 
Hawks 5-2.

GAME NOTES … With just two games remaining in the regular season the 
Catamounts can finish no higher than fifth in the Hockey East standings 
and no lower than sixth … The only team Vermont can catch is fifth 
place Providence who has 29 league points good for three more than 
Vermont … The Friars play two games at Merrimack next weekend and UVM 
would win any tie breaker with PC after winning the regular season 
series 2-0-1 … Vermont is 13-1-5 when leading after two periods this 
year … Vermont finished the season 9-5-4 at Gutterson Fieldhouse.

-30-


Chris Wojcik
Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
University of Vermont
Phone: 802-656-1110
Fax: 802-656-8328
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http://www.uvmathletics.com