Vermont Catamounts Claim Hockey East Lead with Transfer Michael Hagens Driving Offense
The bottom-ranked team from last season now sits in first place, aided by a 4-1-1 league record and a defensemen who leads the conference in points.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
Vermont has moved into first place in Hockey East after a 4-1-1 start in conference play. The Catamounts finished last season at the bottom of the league standings and were selected to do so again in the preseason coaches poll. Over the weekend, the team captured five of six possible points against Boston College. They won Thursday's opener by a score of 4-2, followed by a 4-4 draw and a shootout victory on Friday.
The roster change that stabilized the offense was the arrival of Michael Hagens. The defenseman transferred from The Heights, entering the portal at the same time his younger brother James left for the Boston Bruins. Vermont coach Steve Wiedler noted that the program saw a strong fit when Hagens became available. Wiedler stated that the players themselves pushed for the acquisition. The team visited Hagens on campus, and the existing roster convinced him to commit to Burlington.
Hagens leads the Catamounts with three goals and five assists. In the two games against Boston College, he recorded a goal and four assists. He was the only skater from either team to score in the Friday shootout. Wiedler attributed the team's recent momentum to the consistency of their practice weeks. He said the players have stacked over a month of good practices, which has made the system easier to coach and stick.
Sophomore goaltender Jacob Oster has anchored the defense. After missing all of last season due to injury, Oster now holds a 5-2-1 record. He posts a .930 save percentage and a 1.96 goals-against average. The Catamounts have built a one-point cushion over their rivals at the top of the standings as the season enters its second month.
Other results across the conference produced varying outcomes. Merrimack extended its unbeaten streak to eight games with a 6-2 victory over Holy Cross. Nick Pierre scored twice, raising his season total to 10, which ties for the lead in Hockey East and the nation. Quinnipiac secured two road wins, helping coach Rand Pecknold reach 700 career victories. Bruins prospect Chris Pelosi recorded a hat trick in a 4-1 win at Cornell.
Boston University started the weekend with a 6-2 win at Michigan State but lost the Saturday rematch 5-0. Dartmouth won both games against Yale and Brown, with freshman Drew Stewart adding three goals. The Friday game at Thompson Arena was delayed more than an hour due to an electrical fire. Providence split a series with UConn, with Logan Sawyer scoring a hat trick in an 8-1 win Saturday.
Vermont is scheduled to play its next conference game later this week. The team will look to maintain its first-place position as it faces its next opponent. The Catamounts will rely on Hagens' continued production and Oster's goaltending to keep the conference lead intact.
