Saints Use Big First Period to Stun No. 3 Clarkson, 4-2

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Tara Freeman
Rookie Kelly Sabatine (right) battles for the puck with Clarkson's Brittany Mulligan.

Feb. 2: Senior assistant captain Courtney Sawchuk logged three assists while four different underclassmen scored goals as the St. Lawrence University women's hockey team upset nationally-ranked No. 3 Clarkson University by the score of 4-2 at Appleton Arena on Tuesday night.

St. Lawrence (12-9-7, 8-5-3) jumped out to a fast start in the opening period, scoring three goals in a span of 7:25 to take a 3-0 lead.  Meanwhile, Clarkson, which was forced to play without standout goaltender Lauren Dahm due to illness, fell to 19-6-3 (13-2-1) on the season. 

"We got off to a good start, and the early goals really settled us into the game," said St. Lawrence head coach Chris Wells.  "I thought Clarkson outplayed us in the last two periods, but we got a big insurance goal early in the third to keep us poised."

The Saints greeted Clarkson rookie goaltender Kelsey Neumann unkindly in her first period of collegiate hockey.  First-year student Brooke Fernandez scored her second goal of the year on the power play when she slipped a shot inside the left post off of a centering pass by sophomore Alley Bero.  The goal came at 7:23, was assisted by Bero and Sawchuk, and put the Saints on top, 1-0.

Bero followed at 13:35 with her seventh goal of the year, as the Akwesasne, NY native hoisted a backhand shot under the cross bar on a long rebound.  Classmate Vanessa Emond took the initial slap shot and was credited with a helper.  First-year student Jamie Goldsmith then made it 3-0 St. Lawrence only 1:13 later when she deflected a wrist shot from Sawchuk beautifully over Neumann's glove.  The goal, Goldsmith's sixth of the season, forced Clarkson to use their timeout to try and slow the home team's momentum.

A late penalty in the period to Fernandez allowed the Golden Knights to get their power play unit rolling, as Melissa Waldie scored her 13th goal of the season on St. Lawrence senior goalie Maxie Weisz to cut the visitor's deficit to two at 3-1.  Dominique Thibault fired a shot wide of the net, but the puck caromed off the boards to the far side of the net to Waldie.  The junior slid the puck underneath Weisz for the goal, while Thibault and Juana Baribeau picked up assists to cap the first period scoring.

Though both teams managed nine shots on goal each in the first period, it was Clarkson that took the reins offensively in the second stanza.  The Knights outshot the Saints 10-5 in the second, but came away empty thanks to solid goaltending by Weisz and senior assistant captain Brittony Chartier.  Clarkson's best chances came on two power play opportunities, but the St. Lawrence goaltending duo combined for 10 saves in the period to protect the lead.  Weisz made four stops before Chartier took over midway through the frame and immediately made crucial saves to keep her team on top 3-1 after 40 minutes.

First-year student Kayla Sullivan gave the Scarlet and Brown some breathing room when she scored her ninth goal of the season at 5:41 of the third period to put St. Lawrence on top, 4-1.  The Caledonia, ON native pounced on a rebound in front of Neumann and lifted it into the net to extend the Saints' cushion back to three goals.  Junior Michelle Zimmerman took the initial shot, while Sawchuk earned her third assist of the evening by setting up her fellow defenseman.

Though Clarkson would pick up a late goal by Baribeau at 18:57 on a blistering shot that beat Chartier's glove, the Saints' netminder would turn in 11 saves to allow her squad to pull off the upset, 4-2.  Clarkson finished with a 31-26 advantage in shots on goal, and Neumann turned in her best period in the third with 11 saves to close with a game-high 22.  Chartier made 17 saves in the game, while Weisz earned the victory with a 12-save performance.

Tuesday's victory against Clarkson was the first win for St. Lawrence against a ranked foe this season (1-3-2), while Waldie snapped the Saints' perfect penalty killing mark with her power play tally in the first.  Entering the game, St. Lawrence had been a perfect 25-for-25 killing penalties in 2010.

The Saints will have a quick turnaround this week, as they will prepare to face Union and Rensselaer this weekend.  St. Lawrence will face the Dutchwomen on Friday, February 5 at 7:00pm at Appleton Arena, then the Engineers on Saturday at 4:00pm.