Courtesy Vermont Sports Information
CANTON, N.Y. – 13th-ranked St. Lawrence responded from a 4-0 defeat on Friday at Gutterson Fieldhouse with a 4-1 victory over visiting Vermont on Saturday night at Appleton Arena to close a home-and-home series between the former ECAC rivals.
The Catamounts fell to 5-11-2 (3-5-2 HEA) with one game remaining in the first half of the season against Union, while the Saints moved to 10-5-2 (4-2-1 ECAC) and snapped a six-game losing streak in the series.
St. Lawrence began the night strong with a pair of Mike Marnell goals in the first period. The sophomore cashed in on a cross-zone pass from Brian Ward 11 seconds into the first power play of the night at 7:31. Six minutes later, Marnell’s weak angle shot caromed off a UVM player in front and trickled under Packy Munson’s pads for a 2-0 cushion.
Craig Puffer had the best Vermont chance of the opening frame but missed the net low blocker side on a breakaway from the blue line. The Saints out-shot the Catamounts 11-9 in the first 20 minutes of play.
St. Lawrence extended its lead with 6:15 remaining in the second period as Sean McGovern was denied outside the crease by Munson at the left post. The rebound popped out to Tommy Thompson in the low right circle and he finished high glove side for a 3-0 advantage.
Late in the period, UVM earned its second power play of the night and cashed in to cut the lead back to two. Kevin Irwin sent a pass into the low slot for Alexx Privitera, who one-touched a feed to his brother Jarrid Privitera for a routine finish into the top half of the net. The goal was Privitera’s team-best eighth of the year.
Ward added the Saints’ second power play goal of the night less than three minutes into the third, tapping home a rebound at the right post after a center point shot from Drew Smolcynski.
UVM fired 20 shots on goal in the final period but Kyle Hayton (41 saves) kept the Catamounts at bay, making four straight saves down low on one sequence. Vermont hit the crossbar and post later in the frame but couldn’t draw a goal back.
Munson (28 saves) was pulled for an extra skater during a Catamount power play with 1:40 remaining, but St. Lawrence sealed the three-goal win. UVM finished the night with a 42-32 edge in shots on goal.
Vermont closes the first half of the season next Sunday (Dec. 20) with a trip to Messa Rink to face the ECAC’s Union Dutchmen at 4 p.m. Pre-game radio coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. on WVMT 620-AM and SportsJuice.com with Alastair Ingram on the call, and live pay-per-view video is available at UnionAthletics.TV.