Game-day information: Game 23 at No. 10/9 Vermont
When	Saturday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m.
Where	Burlington, Vt.  |  Gutterson Fieldhouse  |  Directions
Broadcast and stats	Live Stats  |  Video  |  Audio  |  Tickets
Notes and yearbook	Game notes (PDF)  |  2014-15 Yearbook  |  Media Center
Promotions	VOTE: Roy for Hobey Baker
Social media	@GoNUmhockey  facebook.com/GoNUmhockey  instagram.com/GoNUathletics  Use #GoNU

BURLINGTON, Vt. -- After picking up a 4-1 victory last night at Gutterson Fieldhouse, the Northeastern men's ice hockey team returns to action tonight to battle No. 10/9 Vermont in the second game of the weekend set in Burlington.
 
Facing off with some of the nation's best
Tonight marks the seventh straight game against an opponent ranked in the top 20 of the USCHO.com poll. NU is 3-1-2 in those games, and is 4-5-2 overall against top 20 teams this season after last night's win.

Heading into enemy territory
Since Jim Madigan took the reins of the program in 2011, Northeastern hasn't been afraid to take on some of the nation's top teams away from the friendly confines of Matthews Arena. Since the 2011-12 season, the Huskies have defeated seven top-ten teams on the road (USCHO.com poll), including two last season. In those games, NU outscored its opponents 30-13. 
 
Recapping last night's 4-1 win at No. 10/9 Vermont
Northeastern received 23 saves from Derick Roy and production from all 18 skaters en route to a 4-1 victory at No. 10/9 Vermont on Friday night. Kevin Roy and Torin Snydeman both recorded a goal and an assist, while Trevor Owens contributed two helpers. Mike Paliotta scored the lone goal for UVM, which received 20 saves from Mike Santaguida and outshot NU 24-22. Northeastern went 0-of-2 on the power play while Vermont was 1-of-5.
 
The all-time series with the Catamounts
Northeastern and Vermont will meet for the 58th time in the history of the programs on Saturday night, with the Catamounts holding a 29-23-5 edge in the all-time series. UVM skated to a 6-2 victory earlier this season on opening night in the first meeting of the season before NU rebounded with a 4-1 win last night.
 
Scouting Vermont
The Catamounts, who are an impressive 7-2-0 mark at Gutterson Fieldhouse, have the fourth ranked offensive in the Hockey East, averaging 3.00 goals per game. Vermont's main strength, however, is their team defense and a strong group of blue-liners. The Catamounts are allowing just 1.77 goals per game, tops in the conference and third in the nation. Last night, NU became the first team to score at least four goals against the Catamounts.
 
Leading Vermont in scoring this season is Mario Puskarich. The sophomore forward has 10 goals and 10 helpers. The 10 goals are a team high while the helpers are tied for the fourth most on the roster. Mike Paliotta, a senior defensemen, is second on the team with 19 points. He has six goals and 13 assists on the season, including a goal last night, as well as a rating of +8, tied for the best on the team. Senior Colin Markison has 16 points, while Brady Shaw and Jake Fallon both boast 14 points through 22 games this season.
 
Special teams strengths
Special teams will be a key part to the two-game set between Northeastern and Vermont as the Huskies enter tonight's game 10-of-36 on the power play in the last seven games, which ranks fifth in the nation in that span. Vermont, however, leads the nation in overall penalty killing (75-of-80; 93.8%) and has allowed the fewest power play goals in the nation this year (five).
 
Huskies off to a hot start in 2015
Since returning from the holiday break, the Huskies have been playing some of their best hockey of the season. NU is 3-1-2 in January, and recently had a six-game unbeaten streak that was tied for the ninth longest unbeaten streak in program history. During the streak (4-0-2) that dated back to Dec. 16, NU was averaging 3.50 goals per game, including 11 power play markers, which was tops in the nation in that span.
 
Offense starting to find the net
The Northeastern offense has hit its stride in the last seven games with 25 goals, tied for the seventh most in the nation in that span. Of those 25, nine have come in the third period, which is second in the country.
 
The Huskies scored five goals in the third period on Jan. 2-3 against St. Lawrence, including three on Friday night that helped erase a three-goal deficit in the final 20 minutes to earn a 3-3 tie. It marked the first time since Dec. 30, 2013 at Dartmouth that NU has scored at last three goals in the third period.
 
Sizzling start to the second half
NU was unbeaten in its first four games in January for the second straight season. It's the first time in program history that NU has gone unbeaten in consecutive Januarys. The last time NU was unbeaten in its first three games in January in two straight seasons was the 1965-66 and 1966-67 seasons.
 
Cardiac canines
Northeastern is 3-1-2 since returning from the holiday break, and has come from behind in three of the last six games. NU erased a three-goal deficit in the third period on Jan. 2 vs. St. Lawrence before potting a pair of third period tallies the next night against the Saints. Then on Dec. 6, the Huskies stormed back from a 2-0 deficit in the first period to top No. 19 Yale, 3-2.
 
In the last six games, Northeastern is outscoring its opponents 15-7 in the final 40 minutes of regulation, and 9-2 in the third period alone.
 
Dominance at the dot
NU has won more than 50% of its faceoffs in 13 of the last 18 games, including a 68% mark on Nov. 22 against Merrimack in which the Huskies won 49-of-72 draws, the most face-off wins in a game for Northeastern since winning 51 against Niagara on Nov. 5, 2010.
 
Mike McMurtry is sixth in the nation in face-off percentage (minimum two faceoff attempts per team game) at 66.2%, winning 45-of-69 draws while Mike Szmatula is tied for seventh in the league with 195 face-off wins, including an 18-of-25 performance on Jan. 6 vs. Yale.
 
Power play production
With Northeastern 17th in the nation in power play percentage (20-of-99; 20.2%), several Huskies have upped their point totals while on the man advantage.
 
NU has 60 of their 152 points this season on the power play (39.5%), while Kevin Roy has 12 points on the man advantage, which is tied for fourth in the nation, tops in Hockey East and 54.5% of his season total (12-of-22). He is one of only 24 players in the nation with at least 10 power play points.
 
Roy reaches history on Jan. 6 vs. No. 19 Yale
Winger Kevin Roy is back in the Red and Black for his junior season on Huntington Avenue. He enters tonight's game with 45 goals and 57 assists in 87 career games (1.18 points per game). On Jan. 6 vs. Yale, he became the 47th player in program history to reach 100 career points, and 21st player to do it in three seasons or less.
 
On Sept. 30, Roy was named one of college hockey's ten impact forwards in 2014-15 by USCHO.com. One opposing coach called Roy, "as skilled as any player in the country, especially around the net."
 
Roy has led the Huskies in scoring in each of the past two seasons, one of eight active players in the nation to have led their squads in scoring in at least two consecutive seasons. He is also one of eight players in the nation to have recorded a five-point game this year.
 
Roy named Hobey Baker Award candidate
For the second straight season, junior forward Kevin Roy has been nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, which honors an elite NCAA men's ice hockey player who exhibits both athletic talent and strong sportsmanship.
 
Voting is now open for fans that would like to show support for the junior. Fan voting plays a crucial role as the field will be cut from the 68 players nominated to just 10 finalists. Those who wish to vote may submit a ballot at HobeyBaker.com once every 24 hours.
 
Northeastern's grade-A chances
With 53 goals through the first 22 games of the season, Northeastern has done most of its damage from high-percentage areas. Of Northeastern's 53 goals this season, 49 of them have come from the grade-A area (92.4%).
 
Hot Sauce
Since returning from injury on Nov. 7, junior defenseman Colton Saucerman has made his presence felt, especially at the offensive end of the ice. The Colorado Springs, Colorado native is tied for fourth on the team with four goals this season.
 
All four of Saucerman's goals have come on the power play this year, which is tied for 17th in the nation and makes him one of four defensemen in the nation with at least four power play goals.
 
Torin gets the team off the Snyde
Redshirt senior Torin Snydeman has three goals in his last four games, and is tied for third on the team with five goals this season. Since arriving at Northeastern in 2012-13, eight of his 12 goals on Huntington Ave. have been the Huskies' first tally of the game, including four out of five this season.
 
Platoon between the pipes
For the second straight season, Northeastern's opponents have gotten a look at two of the Huskies' top netminders early in the season. Redshirt senior Clay Witt started the team's first two games of the season before Derick Roy got the nod in six straight games. Roy responded by making a career-high 38 saves on two occasions against two of the nation's top teams (No. 6/4 Colgate on Oct. 18 and No. 6/7 UMass Lowell on Nov. 7).
 
Witt ranks second all-time at Northeastern in goals against average (2.57) and first in save percentage (.924). He's also tied with Marc Robitaille for fourth all-time in career shutouts (four) in just 61 career games.
 
On Jan. 3 against St. Lawrence, Roy got his first start in nearly two months, and allowed a season-low two goals while making 21 stops en route to a 4-2 victory. In his last three games, he's posted a 1.67 goals against average and .935 save percentage.
 
NU, Michigan State agree to three-sport deal
Northeastern and Michigan State have agreed to a three-sport, home-and-home series in 2015-16, as announced on Dec. 10 by Northeastern Athletics. The Huskies will host the Spartans in men's and women's basketball, as well as men's ice hockey on Dec. 18-19, 2015, before returning the games in East Lansing, Michigan, the following season.
 
"This is a very exciting opportunity for our athletic department," said Peter Roby, director of athletics and recreation at Northeastern. "We are thrilled and appreciative of Athletics Director Mark Hollis and our friends at Michigan State for their willingness to bring their teams to Boston and help us create such a fun weekend. We have great respect and admiration for what MSU has accomplished and we look forward to next December."
 
Season tickets, as well as individual game tickets, are available for men's ice hockey and can be purchased by visiting GoNU.com/tickets. In addition, the student sale for the 2015 Beanpot will take place on Saturday, January 17, 2015 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Matthews Arena lobby. Please contact the Ticket Office by calling 617-373-4700 or emailing huskytix@neu.edu with any questions.

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