New Hampshire opened it season Saturday night with a non-conference win over
the Vermont Catamounts, 3-1.  After Vermont's upset victory over Providence
on Friday night, what looked like a fairly easy game for the Wildcats took on
a bit more meaning.  Attendance was about 3,100 - not a sellout, but pretty
close.  Considering the weather (75 degrees during the day) and such, not
bad.
 
The first period was all UNH, as they dominated play and kept the puck in the
Vermont zone for a large majority of the period.  Scott Morrow started the
scoring for UNH at 1:09.  Joe Flanagan stole the puck from a Vermont defender
deep in UVM's zone.  Flanagan found both himself and Morrow behind everyone,
with just goaltender Christian Soucy to beat.  Flanagan passed to Morrow who
put it away.  Less than two minutes later, Dominic Amodeo picked up a loose
puck at center ice, rushed down the right side, and fired on goal.  Soucy
made the initial save but gave up a rebound that came right back at Amodeo.
This time he didn't miss, putting it away high to the short side.  UNH kept
up the attack for the rest of the period, but Soucy kept them at bay.
 
Although there were numerous powerplays in the second period, there was no
scoring, as both Soucy and UNH's Jeff Levy were up to the task.  UVM played
much better in the second and third periods, but couldn't come up with a goal
until 13:58 of the third.  On the powerplay, Dominique Ducharme pounced on a
loose puck in the slot and scored, spoiling Levy's shutout and making it a
game again.  A UVM defenseman was whistled out for hooking at (about) 17:15,
putting UNH on yet another powerplay.  The Wildcats made this one pay off,
scoring at 17:29.  Amodeo, at the right point, slid a cross-ice pass to the
left face-off circle, where Joe Flanagan one-timed it to the top corner.
 
UNH looked reasonably good for it's first game.  Much of this can be
attributed to returning a lot of lettermen from last year.  They don't appear
to be expecting much from any of the freshmen up front, as they are well
stocked with upperclassmen there.  The situation is a bit different at
defense, where the loss of David MacIntyre and Steve Morrow means that a
couple of freshmen will be playing a regular shift this year.  Last night,
Ted Russell and Scott Malone filled those spots.  Neither was spectacular,
but neither made any glaring errors either.
 
The first two lines for UNH were Mitrovic-Amodeo-Thomson and
Morrow-Flanagan-Klym.  After that, things are a bit hazy in my memory.
 
A quick word about Vermont freshman goaltender Christian Soucy...  This guy
is a player.  He should steal a few games for UVM this year.  He made
every save you could ever expect him to make, and a bunch that you
wouldn't expect.  Soucy kept UVM in the game in the first period.  He's 21
years old, from Gatineau, Quebec.  Anybody know anything about him?
 
New Hampshire, 3-1
at Durham, NH
 
Vermont (1-1).................0   0   1  -  1
New Hampshire (1-0)...........2   0   1  -  3
 
UNH:  Scott Morrow (Joe Flanagan) 1:09.
UNH:  Dominic Amodeo (unassisted) 3:54.
UVM:  Dominique Ducharme (Nicolas Perrault) 13:58.
UNH:  Joe Flanagan (Amodeo, Morrow) 17:29.
 
Saves:  UVM, Christian Soucy, 34.
	UNH, Jeff Levy, 23.