A power play goal late in the third period helped No. 13/13 Vermont to a 4-3 win over No. 16 St. Lawrence in Burlington, Vt., on Tuesday night in the Saints' first game of 2017 and first in 24 days after the holiday break.

Sophomore Michael Ederer led St. Lawrence with two power play goals, while Carson Gicewicz scored the other goal for the Saints. Joe Sullivan finished with two assists.

Two Saints made their collegiate debuts against the Catamounts as Sam Kauppila and newcomer Alex Gilmour suited up for the first time for St. Lawrence, both at left wing. Gilmour, a native of Uxbridge, Ontario, committed to St. Lawrence in early December and joined the team after the Christmas break. He finished with two shots on goal.

Vermont struck first as the Catamounts took advantage of a blind pass from deep in the Saints defensive zone that set up a one-timer by Chris Muscoby at the blue line. Kyle Hayton made the initial stop with his right shoulder, but the rebound kicked out to Brian Bowen on the right circle who put the puck behind the Saints' netminder to give Vermont a 1-0 lead just over three minutes into the game.

But St. Lawrence was able to even the score 10 minutes later, cashing in on their first power play opportunity as Ederer notched his fifth of the season and second in as many games. The Saints' top line of Ederer, Sullivan and Mike Marnell combined for the equalizer as Marnell worked the puck down low on left side before hitting Sullivan in front of Catamounts netminder Stefanos Lekkas. Sullivan was stuffed by Lekkas in close, but Ederer picked up the loose puck and roofed it to make it 1-1.

The Saints took their first lead of the game at 7:44 of the middle frame when senior defenseman Eric Sweetman circled around the zone and took a shot from the slot. Lekkas again made the initial stop, but Gicewicz was on the doorstep to bury the rebound for a 2-1 St. Lawrence lead.

Ryan Lough started the play when he blocked a pass attempt on the wall in the Saints' defensive zone and sent the Saints the other way. Instead of shooting as he entered the Vermont zone one-on-two, he opted to keep the puck and wait for help allowing the Saints to get into position.

Late in the middle frame, Vermont tied the game at 2-2 with a tip in front by Brendan Bradley that hit Hayton high on the shoulder before falling behind him.

But just over two minutes later, Ederer notched his second of the game and St. Lawrence regained the lead with four seconds remaining on a power play opportunity with Jake Massie in the box.

Junior Nolan Gluchowski started the play with a pass to Sullivan from deep in the Saints' defensive zone. Sullivan carried into the zone, beat three Vermont defenders before moving it around the back of the net and hitting Ederer with a cross-crease pass for a one timer on the back door to give St. Lawrence a 3-2 lead heading into the second intermission.

Craig Puffer pulled Vermont even again at 4:55 of the third with a low shot from the bottom of the right circle and Brian Bowen tallied his second of the night on the power play with 5:20 remaining to secure the win at home for the Catamounts.

Hayton finished with 33 saves for the Saints, while Lekkas stopped 19 shots for Vermont.

With the loss, the Saints are now 10-6-4 overall heading into their final two non-conference games of the season this weekend against Canisius in Buffalo. Vermont improves to 13-6-2 with the win.

The Saints will take on the Golden Griffins on Friday, Jan. 6 and Saturday, Jan. 7 at the Harbor Center. Both games will be broadcast on Time Warner Cable Sports.