Box Score
CANTON, N.Y. – Junior defenseman Kerri Wallace scored a goal and added two assists as the No. 6 St. Lawrence University women’s hockey team weathered a tough storm from ECAC Hockey League newcomer Rensselaer on Friday night, topping the Engineers, 4-1.
The Saints (18-5-2, 10-3-0) extended their season-long unbeaten streak to nine games and junior forward Sabrina Harbec extended her active scoring streak to 11 games. However, the visitors made it anything but easy for the Scarlet and Brown, who found themselves in a tight game throughout.
The home team took the early advantage just 1:40 into regulation when senior Crystal Connors netted her 11th goal of the season on the power play. Sophomore Alison Domenico slid a pass to the point to Wallace, who blasted a slap shot towards RPI goaltender Ashley Mayr. Connors deflected the puck through Mayr's pads from just outside the crease to put her team ahead in the early going.
Though St. Lawrence earned several more chances throughout the first period, Mayr was solid as she turned back six shots in the opening 20 minutes. Offensively, RPI tied the score at 1-1 with 1:24 remaining in the first period with a power play goal. With Harbec sitting in the penalty box, the Engineers took advantage when Melanie Guillemette fired a shot towards the left post. The shot sailed wide but bounced off the end boards and right to Brooke Thompson, who tucked it between the near post and St. Lawrence goaltender Meaghan Guckian’s pad to even the score heading to the first intermission.
“They certainly played a very good game tonight,” said Saints head coach Paul Flanagan of Rensselaer. “I was very impressed with their intelligence and discipline. You can tell they’re very well coached because, even though they’re a young team, they played like a group of veterans tonight.”
With the game tied 1-1, the Saints had a chance to grab the lead as they skated 5-on-3 for over a minute to start the second stanza. However, RPI was outstanding in killing the penalty, not allowing a single shot.
As the two teams skated 4-on-4, Domenico again got a scoring opportunity started for the Saints as she slid a pass up to Wallace along the far boards. Wallace skated in and sent a hard slap shot that fooled Mayr and found its way into the net for a 2-1 lead at 15:55 of the second. Domenico and classmate Marianna Locke were credited with assists.
Rensselaer had a chance of its own to again knot the score as the period was winding down. Whitney Naslund took a pass and beat the Saints defense, moving in one-on-one with Guckian with less than a minute remaining. She crossed-over in the crease, but Guckian was up to the task, sprawling out to make a kick save to retain her team’s 2-1 lead.
RPI tried to pull to within one in the final frame, outshooting the Saints 8-6 in the third. However, St. Lawrence extended their lead to 3-1 at 7:20 when Lisa Batchelor re-directed a shot from the point off the stick of senior Casey Hughes.
When Rensselaer tried to battle back with the extra skater Harbec found the puck and carried it over center ice, where she scored her 19th goal of the season into the empty net at 19:04 of the third to seal the victory.
Guckian finished with 20 saves and improved to 15-5-2 overall, while Mayr dropped to 9-11-1, despite stopping 21 shots.
Each team managed one power play goal, as the Engineers were 1-of-4 with the extra skater while St. Lawrence finished 1-of-6.
Rensselaer returns to action on Saturday at Clarkson (4pm). The Saints are in action against Union on Saturday at 4pm.
