BURLINGTON, Vt. – Style points don’t matter. Hockey East points do.

The University of New Hampshire hockey team picked up another one Saturday with a 1-1 overtime tie against Vermont at Gutterson Field House.

The Wildcats (17-8-5, 12-7-4 HE), who entered the contest tied for first place with idle Merrimack, took three of a possible four points from the weekend series with the Catamounts.

Defenseman Trevor van Riesmdyk scored the tying goal at 8:53 of the second period. UNH overcame an injury to junior forward Kevin Goumas, who missed the second half of the second period after suffering a laceration over his eye that required stitches. He played in the third period.

UNH goalie Casey DeSmith finished with 30 saves. Vermont outshot UNH 31-22, including 8-2 in the first period as the Wildcats struggled to get anything going offensively.

“They came out and really took it to us in the first period,” UNH coach Dick Umile said. “They went hard and physical. We had to battle back and we battled back. We fought through it and made it a game.”

Austin Block made a bid to win the game in the waning seconds of the third period, but UVM goalie Brody Hoffman turned aside the shot from the slot.

It was the Wildcats’ third overtime game in the last five. All three have ended it ties.

“We were both going for it,” Umile said. “You try to be a little cautious, but you try to win it at the same time. Every point right now is real important.”

Despite only 10 shots on goal over the first two periods, the Wildcats were tied with Vermont, 1-1, going into the third. After a scoreless first period the teams traded goals in the second.

The Catamounts scored first in the first minute on a one-timer by Jake Fallon from the slot that caromed off the right post and went in. Chris McCarthy set up the play with a pass from behind the cage.

Fallon had two more quality chances in the period, but DeSmith made a sliding save with his right pad to thwart one bid and got his glove on another.

“I thought we came out a little slow,” van Riemsdyk said. “It was a quick turnaround. I thought we got better as the game went along and played tough.”

UNH pulled even at 8:53 of the second period with its fourth power-play goal in two games when van Riemsdyk’s shot from just inside the blue line snuck past Hoffman.

It was the sophomore defenseman’s fourth point in two games. He had three assists in Friday night’s victory. Eric Knodel and Grayson Downing assisted.

With a little more than eight minutes remaining in the second period, the Wildcats nearly took the lead but Connor Hardowa’s shot from the right circle hit the cross bar.

Vermont outshot UNH over the first 40 minutes, 19-10, including 11-8 in the second. The Wildcats went 1 for 4 with the man advantage in the first two periods with one shot – van Riemsdyk’s goal.

“I think it bounced in actually,” van Riemsdyk said. “I heard a funny sound. I didn’t know what it hit. Everyone kind of looked at me like I scored it. I’ll take it.”

DeSmith made a sprawling save on McCarthy at 4:49 of the third period to keep the game tied.

Vermont outshot UNH, 8-2, during a scoreless first period. The Wildcats managed just two shots despite having the only two power plays of the period. They didn’t register a shot on either one. UNH actually attempted 12 shots in the period, but six were blocked by the defense and four missed the net.

UNH went 3 for 8 on the power play in Friday’s 4-3 win with 11 shots. It was the first time the Wildcats had as many as three power-play goals in a game since Dec. 5, 2010.

“We’ve kind of been struggling a little bit before this,” van Riemsdyk said. “We’ll take it game by game and try to get it rolling. Come playoff time that will be huge.”

The UNH women’s team also tied on Saturday, 2-2 at home against Maine. Hannah Armstrong and Alexis Crossley each scored a goal for UNH, which is now 13-15-4 on the year and to 9-8-3 in conference action. The Black Bears are now 5-22-4 overall and 2-15-3 in Hockey East play. The two teams go at it again today in the regular-season finale.

UNH, Vermont tie, 1-1.

UNH (17-8-5, 12-7-4 HE) 0 1 0 0 – 1.

Vermont (10-15-5, 7-11-5 HE) 0 1 0 0 – 1.

First Period: Scoring: None. Penalties: V-N. Bruneteau (hitting after the whistle) 1:31; NH-Willows (hitting after the whistle) 1:31; V-Walls (high-sticking) 1:31; V-N. Bruneteau (holding) 17:01.

Second Period: Scoring: V-Fallon (McCarthy, Reynolds) :56; NH-van Riemsdyk (Knodel, Downing) 8:53 pp. Penalties: V-Reynolds (tripping) 8:23; V-Reynolds (slashing) 16:25.

Third Period: Scoring: None. Penalties: NH-Downing (high-sticking) 5:48.

Overtime: Scoring: None. Penalties: None.

Goalies: NH-DeSmith (30 saves on 31 shots); V-Hoffman (21, 22).

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