St. Lawrence Too Much for Union

Box score

CANTON, N.Y. -- Sophomore forward Tara Akstull scored a pair of power play goals, extending her goal-scoring streak to seven games, and added an assist as the No. 5/4 St. Lawrence University women's hockey team earned an ECAC Hockey victory over the Union Dutchwomen, 7-0, in Appleton Arena on Friday evening.

The Saints (7-2-0, 3-0-0) got a four-point effort from senior co-captain Chelsea Grills, who scored a goal and added three assists, while senior Sabrina Harbec, the University's new career-scoring leader, tallied two goals and a helper in the victory. The Scarlet and Brown's offense was relentless, taking 45 shots on goal to the Dutchwomen's nine.

Though Union (0-10-0, 0-3-0) worked hard in the first period to keep the Saints at bay, sophomore Brittaney Maschmeyer broke the scoreless period with 3:00 minutes left to play in the opening frame. With a delayed penalty coming on the Dutchwomen, sophomore goalie Maxie Weisz skated to the bench for an extra attacker. Harbec worked the puck along the boards back to Maschmeyer, who blasted a slap shot from the point that deflected off a Union defender and past goaltender Lundy Day to give St. Lawrence a 1-0 lead after one period of play.

It was the Saints' five-goal second period that overwhelmed Union, as the home team's power play erupted for four tallies in the twenty minutes. Grills scored the team's second goal after a beautiful pass through the crease from Akstull on the power play at 2:08. Harbec would then score her fifth of the season and first of the night at 10:01 of the second period, with an assist going to rookie blueliner Michelle Zimmerman to make the score 3-0.

Akstull would get her first of the game only 3:11 later, when Grills returned the favor and sent a crisp, cross-ice pass that landed right on the Clifton Park, NY native's stick. Akstull finished the play by rifling a shot past Day, who was beaten glove-side. The goal moved her to within one of the St. Lawrence University record for consecutive games with a goal, which is currently held by Emilie Berlinguette '06.

The Saints would get their second goal off a Union defender at 14:04 of the second period, when sophomore Courtney Sawchuk hit a player in front of Day, and the puck caromed inside the far post, giving the home team a 5-0 cushion. Akstull would then complete the period's scoring at 16:44 on the power play, when she wristed a shot past new Union netminder Danielle Kimble, who replaced Day after St. Lawrence's fifth goal.

Harbec notched her second goal of the night at 4:33 of the third period, with an assist going to Grills, which was the Stittsville, Ontario native's 14 th helper of the season. The goal capped the scoring at 7-0, as Weisz made stopped all nine shots that she faced in the game to earn her second shutout of the season.

St. Lawrence, who skated without senior co-captain Annie Guay, junior forward Alison Domenico, and sophomore defender Britni Smith due to injury, saw the team rally around the play of senior Sarah Callan and sophomore Becky Street, who both earned their first collegiate start on Friday.

"I'm proud that we out-worked that team tonight, as one of our goals heading into the game was to always be the hardest working team on the ice," said Saints assistant coach Mare MacDougall, who joined Associate Head Coach Ted Wisner behind the bench with head coach Paul Flanagan abroad with the U.S. National Team. "Our team set a specific goal to have a successful power play this weekend, and thanks to our hard work and driving to the net, we made good things happen."

Weisz improved to 2-0-0 on the season, and is yet to give up a goal in her sophomore campaign. Day took the loss for Union, despite making 23 saves, and fell to 0-10-0. Kimble made 15 stops, including 11 in the third period, in her stead.

The Saints will look to earn the weekend sweep tomorrow, Saturday, November 10th as they take on the Rensselaer Engineers at Appleton Arena at 4:00pm.