Q&A with Vermont beat writer Ted Ryan

by Ryan Fay

Union opens the NCAA Tournament with an East Regional semifinal against Vermont at 2 p.m. Friday at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

To get the skinny on Vermont, I chatted with longtime Catamounts beat writer Ted Ryan of the Burlington Free Press. He dishes on Vermont's recent play, players to watch and more.

RYAN FAY (RF): How has Vermont been playing in the weeks leading up to the NCAA Tournament?

TED RYAN (TR): Vermont has been steady all year and played quite well down the stretch. Like Union, the Catamounts swept UNH at UNH, a rare event. In five of their last six games, the Catamounts played UMass-Lowell, which won the Hockey East championship. Two of the games were the final series of the regular weekend and they met in the 3-game quarterfinal series. Each game was decided by a single goal. UVM won two of the five games, so that illustrates how competitive Vermont was with the Hockey East champion.

RF: Who are a few Vermont players Union fans should keep an eye on?

TR: Fifth-year senior forward/co-captain Chris McCarthy has been a force as a center. He led UVM in scoring (40 points), he's an excellent two-way forward and he's the on-ice team leader.

Freshman forward Mario Puskarich, McCarthy's left wing, scored 19 goals this year, including 13 in Hockey East play, second only to BC's incomparable Johnny Gaudreau. He's not a flashy player but he has great hands and he's a scorer.

Junior defenseman Mike Paliotta has emerged as one of the better defensemen in Hockey East. He has a good shot from the point, he's very strong defensively and he's quite capable of jumping into the play.

Sophomore Brody Hoffman, who started every game as a freshman, missed several games at the season's start with an injury. He split much of the season with freshman Mike Santaguida but he has started the last eight games, including all five with UMass-Lowell, and played extremely well. He's big and he reads the play well.

RF: What are a few of Vermont's biggest strengths?

TR: Team defense and, recently, goaltending have been quite strong for UVM throughout the season. UVM is tied for eighth nationally in fewest goals allowed per game. Penalty killing has also been very good; the Catamounts are seventh nationally. Vermont has good speed and when playing well can exploit it. UVM, when at its best, is also strong at cycling the puck

RF: What are a few of Vermont's biggest weaknesses?

TR: The number one weakness is converting scoring opportunities into goals. Beyond Puskarich and McCarthy, there is a dearth of scorers. Another weakness is the power play; it's been better of late but still languishes at 16 percent. A third weakness is the propensity for slow starts, which Vermont has been fortunate enough to survive through defense.

RF: Kevin Sneddon was an assistant and head coach at Union before taking the head job at Vermont in 2003. How would you assess his tenure in Vermont so far?

TR: Every school has its advantages and disadvantages. Overall, Sneddon has done a good job in Burlington. He certainly directed Vermont to a smooth transition from ECAC to Hockey East [in 2005]. The past three years have been difficult but as the record shows, Vermont (20-14-3) appears to be on the rise again and he deserves much credit for that.

RF: What's the word on Union up your way?

TR: Excellent team, well-balanced, no major weaknesses, very disciplined and experienced and deserving of the No. 1 ranking. In some quarters, there still might be some remembrance of the Union of Vermont's ECAC days when the hockey program did not have the resources currently available and that was reflected in the team on the ice. Those who follow hockey know those days are over and that Union is a legitimate national contender.

RF: How do you see Friday's game going?

TR: Ah, the toughie. Quite frankly, I would not be shocked if the tenor of the game is not decided in the first 10 minutes. If UVM plays like an underdog with nothing to lose, it should be a very good game. The five recent games against UMass-Lowell are certainly good preparation for playing Union. If Vermont starts slowly as it sometimes does, Union could be in control early and should dictate the rest of the game.

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