Here is the University of Vermont Catamounts Press Release before the split in Milwaukee. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> The University of Vermont Catamounts will play host to New Hampshire, Maine and UMass-Lowell of Hockey East this weekend in the second annual Governors' Cup presented by Sheraton-USAir. Last year, the Black Bears hosted the inaugural Governors' Cup before a crowd of 4,307 at Alfond Arena, defeating the Catamounts, 2-1, in the finals to claim the championship. The Cats, coached by thirteenth-year head coach Mike Gilligan, enter the weekend with a 7-3-0 overall, 2-3-0 ECAC and 5-0-0 non-league record. After jumping out to a 4-0-0 start with non-league wins over New Hampshire, B.U., Miami and Lake Superior, Vermont has gone 3-3-0 in its last six with wins over Union, Colgate and UMass-Amherst and losses to RPI, Cornell and Dartmouth. Consistently ranked in the top 10 nationally all fall, Vermont was the consensus No. 1 pick in the country on October 30 after a 4-2 road win at B.U. on October 28. With nine senior starters returning from a team which won the ECAC regular-season championship last year and advanced to the NCAA Final Four for the first time in school history, the 1996-97 Catamounts have been tops on everyone's short list of teams to watch this winter. Bending under the weight of those high expectations in recent weeks, the Cats will be looking to reassert themselves this weekend against their New England rivals. The Catamounts' first line combination of center Eric Perrin (6-9--15), right wing Martin St. Louis (5-13--18) and left wing J.C. Ruid (5-8--13) has combined for 46 points so far this season after collecting 225 points in 1995-96 to lead the nation. Forwards Matt Sanders (4 gls), B.J. Kilbourne (3 gls) and Matt Stelljes (3 gls) also have been offensive catalysts for UVM, while defenseman Eric Hallman's five goals leads all defensemen. Hallman exploded for four goals in UVM's 5-4 come-from-behind win at Colgate (Vermont trailed 4-1) to tie the NCAA record for most goals in a game by a defenseman. All-American netminder Tim Thomas enters the weekend with a .926 save percentage, 2.51 goals against average and a 7-3-0 record. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Go Cats Go!!! <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Nextweekend: Brown and Harvard <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.