While classes were in an interim, the UVM men’s hockey team was able to stay busy and focus on solid play, skating in a total of five games. The Catamounts notched a 4-3 overtime victory against St. Lawrence University on Dec. 15, and a second win in a 4-3 shootout following a 1-1 tie with Holy Cross in the first round of the Catamount Cup.The latter contest proved to be not as thrilling for the Cats as Quinnipiac University defeated Vermont 4-1 in the final to take the cup home to Connecticut. Vermont continues to be led by junior Dean Strong, whose 15 points and 13 assists are team highs.The New Year ushered in another changing of the guard in the net.In early December, head coach Kevin Sneddon replaced senior goalkeeper Joe Fallon in favor of sophomore Mike Spillane, but the Spillane experiment ended with the Holy Cross game.Fallon returned to the net and helped lead his team to a victory.Fallon seems to be the choice to remain in net for the Catamounts this season, but the quality of his play will determine UVM’s fate against a tough slate of Massachusetts-based squads over the next months.The upcoming schedule includes a tough Northeastern team and UMass, which is currently ranked fifth in the nation.While the Catamounts seem to have some sturdy momentum as they head to?ward the homestretch of their season and Hockey East play, they will face many poised challengers.With powerful play over the next couple of months UVM could cause problems for many teams in March.