Harbec, Domenico Pair Up to Lead Saints

Boxscore

ITHACA, N.Y. -- St. Lawrence University senior forward Sabrina Harbec and junior forward Alison Domenico each scored twice, and sophomore Tara Akstull chipped in three assists as the No. 6/7 Saints bounced back from Friday night's loss to Colgate with an assertive 6-2 victory over Cornell University at Lynah Rink on Saturday afternoon.

The Saints improved to 21-8-1 (14-3-1) with the win and picked up their 19 th straight victory against the Big Red.

Harbec claimed the University's career goal-scoring record from line mate Carson Duggan with her two tallies, the first of which opened the game's scoring at 1:25 of the first period. With the visitors on the power play, Harbec was able to beat Cornell netminder Jenny Niesluchowski for her 11th of the season to put St. Lawrence ahead 1-0. Fellow seniors Chelsea Grills and Annie Guay were credited with assists on the goal.

Domenico would make it 2-0 just over six minutes later at 7:27 while her team attacked with a player advantage. Akstull picked up her first assist of the night, as did rookie Michelle Zimmerman, who had a three point series against Clarkson last weekend.

The Saints continued to own the first period, out-shooting the Big Red 13-5, though Niesluchowski kept the home team in the game with 11 saves. St. Lawrence senior netminder Meaghan Guckian had a much easier time of it in the opening twenty minutes, stopping each of the five shots she faced.

Domenico and Harbec continued to do damage to Cornell in the second period, as they each added their second goal of the game to make the score 4-0. Domenico made the score 3-0 at 11:45 of the period, with assists going to junior Marianna Locke and Akstull, while Harbec picked up her second shorthanded goal of the season at 13:38. Grills picked up an assist on the tally.

Cornell tried to get back into the game 14:14 when Brittany Forgues was able to beat Guckian for the home team's first goal of the evening, cutting the lead to 4-1. Melanie Jue and Emma Chipman picked up helpers on the goal.

However, Locke would respond for the Scarlet and Brown less than three minutes later at 17:13, bringing the Saints' lead back to four goals at 5-1. The Brasher Falls, NY native tallied her 13th of the season, with assists going to junior Lisa Batchelor and Akstull, to cap the second period scoring and send the Saints to the locker room with large advantage.

St. Lawrence would add to that lead at 11:25 of the final stanza, when Guay scored her third of the season on the power play to make the score 6-1. Harbec and Duggan picked up assists on the goal. Though Kelly McGinty would add a goal for the home team at 14:19 to make the score 6-2, it was much too little, too late as the Saints earned a weekend split with their ECAC Hockey rivals from Central New York.

The visitors finished with a 31-27 advantage in shots on goal, with both Guckian and Niesluchowski finishing with 25 saves a piece.

St. Lawrence will be in action against next weekend at home, when they welcome Brown and Yale to Appleton Arena for two conference match-ups. The Saints will be wearing specially designed pink jerseys, as ECAC Hockey's "Pink at the Rink" comes to Canton, NY to help raise money for cancer research.