Catamounts Get First-Ever Shutout Win Over Golden Knights

Vermont got goals from Ryan Cox and Jeff Miles and goaltender Shawn Conschafter stopped 33 shots for his first career shutout as the Catamounts snapped a seven-game winless streak with a 2-0 win over Clarkson Saturday.

The win was Vermont’s third of the year and it snapped a five-game Clarkson unbeaten streak. Clarkson also suffered its first loss in league play, and fell to the Catamounts for the third time in the last four games. The shutout win was also Vermont’s first ever against Clarkson in 69 games.

“The win was very emotional,” Vermont coach Mike Gilligan said. “I thought we got a couple of bounces tonight for a change, and we played very, very well without the puck in our zone. And Shawn (Conschafter) was fabulous.

Vermont, 3-14-2 overall and 3-6-1 in ECAC play, took a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 4:21 by captain Ryan Cox. Cox tipped in a Ryan Miller shot past Clarkson goalkeeper Mike Walsh, with John Longo also getting an assist.

The Catamounts took a 2-0 lead early in the third period when Jeff Miles picked up a loose puck off a Clarkson turnover and skated in on Walsh from the left corner before firing a high shot from a tough angle. The goal was Miles’ fifth goal of the season.

Clarkson, 9-8-4 overall and 5-1-3 in the ECAC, outshot Vermont, 33-27, in the game.