Team Notes: Golden Knights Battle Syracuse for First Time

After a successful start in ECAC Hockey action this past weekend with a sweep at Cheel Arena, the Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team takes a break from league play when it travels to central NY on Friday to face off against Syracuse University for the first time ever. The Golden Knights and Orange will close out their home-and-home series in Potsdam on November 12.

Clarkson is guided by third-year co-head coaches Matt and Shannon Desrosiers, and assistant coach Matt Kelly. Kelly and his wife, Brooke, celebrated the birth of their first child, son, Colten Charles Kelly (7.5 lbs) on Monday night, November 1.

The Knights, who are 3-2-1 since mid-October, own a 3-6-1 overall record and are 2-0 in ECAC Hockey action. In their first weekend series at home since early October, the Green and Gold posted two impressive efforts to start conference play off on the right note. 

On Friday, Clarkson defeated Union for the 15th straight time, winning 3-0. Freshman Erica Howe(Ottawa, ONT) recorded her first collegiate victory with the whitewash, turning aside all 16 shots she faced. Freshman Carly Mercer (Exeter, ONT), junior defenseman Danielle Boudreau (Whitby, ONT) and sophomore Danielle Skirrow (Trenton, ONT) provided the offense.

Clarkson snapped a four-game winless stretch (0-3-1) against Rensselaer on Saturday with a 2-1 victory. Skirrow tallied the winning goal 4:15 in to the third period. Sophomore defenseman Hailey Wood(Lethbridge, ALB) gave the Knights a 1-0 first-period lead with her first collegiate goal. Senior Lauren Dahm (Baldwinsville, NY) was impressive again in the Knights’ crease with a 20-save outing.

Junior Juana Baribeau (Amos, QUE), who is working on a five-game point-scoring streak, leads Clarkson in scoring with seven points on two goals and five assists through 10 games. Baribeau is looking to become the next Golden Knight to reach the century mark with 77 career points (38-39) through 86 career games. 

After scoring just one goal as a rookie, Skirrow has tallied a team-high five goals in her sophomore campaign. Junior Brittany Mulligan (London, ONT) has posted four assists. Wood, who enjoyed a solid effort on the blueline along with a productive showing offensively with one goal and two assists in the weekend sweep, is one of four Clarkson players with three points.

Dahm has seen the bulk of the action in the Clarkson crease, starting eight of the 10 games. She posts a .922 save percentage, a 2.61 goals against average and a 2-5-1 record. Howe has played in parts of four games, with two starts, and holds a .921 save percentage, a 1.81 GAA and a 1-1 record.

Syracuse, guided by former St. Lawrence head coach Paul Flanagan, owns a 4-4-1 overall record. In its third-year as an NCAA program, the Orange are member of the College Hockey America conference. Syracuse closed out a four-game road trip last weekend in the Midwest, dropping two-games at ninth-ranked Ohio State (5-1, 6-2).