Vermont Win America East Title In Seven-Round Shootout, Beat UAlbany 3-2
Vermont had to survive seven rounds of a shootout to win this one, and they did it the hard way, coming back from two goals down to beat UAlbany 3-2 in the America East final on Friday in Albany.
The Catamounts are America East champions for the second time, and the win sets a program record: 14 wins in a season. They’ll take the conference’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, and they’ll find out their opponent on Sunday night at the Selection Show.
Vermont had the final in their hands. The Catamounts led 2-0, and the title looked theirs. But UAlbany, playing at home, clawed their way back to 2-2, with Quinty Reumer scoring their goals, and the shootout went deep. Both sides scored in the sixth round. In the seventh, UAlbany missed and Enden scored the winner for Vermont, and that was it. Shootout: 6-5 to Vermont.
Vermont’s run to the title was already a story. They came in as the No. 5 seed, beat No. 4 New Hampshire 2-0 in the quarter-finals, then knocked out top seed UMass Lowell 3-2 in the semi-finals on Tuesday. UAlbany, the No. 3 seed, had reached the final at home and were two goals up with a title in sight. Vermont took it from them anyway.
The Catamounts finish at 14-5, and that record says plenty about where this programme is going. UAlbany end at 11-7, beaten in a shootout after leading a final by two. That’s the kind of loss that stings for a long time. Vermont, meanwhile, are going dancing.
