CANTON, N.Y. — In a tightly contested game, St. Lawrence edged No. 4 Clarkson 2-1 in the first game of the route 11 rivalry. The Saints improved to 3-0-0 on the year with the win, while Clarkson suffered its first loss, moving them to 2-1-0.
While the Saints came away winners at the end, the first period was scoreless, with a smattering of power plays and opportunities for both teams, all of which were thwarted by Shea Tiley and Grace Harrison.
The second period saw all of the game’s scoring, starting with Loren Gabel’s first goal of the year that gave Clarkson the lead. Gabel scored unassisted on a wrist shot from the low slot, elevating a quick shot over the shoulder of Harrison just 2:37 into the middle frame.
The Saints answered quickly with a pair of power play goals just 32 seconds apart. Brooke Webster netted her fifth goal of the season to tie the game for SLU. Kennedy Marchment found Webster in the slot from below the goal line and Webster buried a one-timer at the 5:42 mark of the second period to even the score.
Kirsten Padalis scored the game winning goal 32 seconds later with a wrist shot from the point that beat Tiley low on the blocker side. “We just kept passing the puck but we weren’t shooting so I saw a lane and was just firing it on net hoping to at least get a rebound,” said Padalis about her deciding goal after the win. “The goalie never saw the puck because of a good screen and it slid in.”
The Saints entered the third leading by two, and a flurry of penalties toward the end of the game pushed SLU to the brink.
There were six penalties called in the final 5:07 of the game, including five against the Saints and at one point, Clarkson, with Tiley pulled, had a 6-on-3 power play. However, confusion on the ice regarding how much time was left on the clock allowed both teams time to take a few breaths.
“I think it probably helped both teams,” said Saints coach Chris Wells about the several stoppages at the end of the contest. “Everybody is trying to get the players on the ice that they want and everyone is tired by then. I think those stoppages helped out to give us some time.”
“It’s tough because we try and talk to our players about staying even keeled,” said Golden Knights bench boss Matt Desrosiers. “There was a couple of mistakes out there. There were mistakes from the coaching staff, mistakes from the referees.”
“These games are tough,” said Desrosiers. “It doesn’t matter who’s ranked where or ahead of who or anything like that. That’s why we like to play St. Lawrence early, we know they’re going to be hard fought battles.”
Wells was positive about the win for his team, and especially the performance of the special teams for the Saints.
“We did a great job of killing penalties,” said Wells. “The big difference was that we were able to get a pair of power play goals.”
Before Friday’s game, the Saints hadn’t recorded a power play goal, despite scoring 11 goals in a sweep of Northeastern last weekend.
The Saints and Golden Knights play game two of the home-and-home non-conference series at Cheel Arena at 3 p.m. Saturday.
