CANTON, NY – St. Lawrence senior forward Crystal Connors scored her first career hat trick and added two assists as the No. 6 St. Lawrence University women's hockey team skated past Union College, 7-1, Saturday afternoon in Appleton Arena. 

 

The Saints controlled the tempo of the game from the get-go, though Union did hold one of the nation's premier offenses off the scoreboard for over thirteen minutes.  However, senior forward Chelsea Grills broke the scoreless tie at 13:07 of the first period on the power play to put St. Lawrence ahead 1-0.  Fellow senior Abbie Bullard let a hard shot loose from the point, and though Union goalie Mandy Hanson (Brainerd, MN) was able to make the initial save, Grills was there to pounce on the rebound.

 

Tara Akstull one-timed the puck into the net on the power play for the 2-0 advantage, and  then fired in a rebound for a 3-0 lead headed into the first intermission.

 

Though she allowed three goals, Hanson played an outstanding first period, making 16 saves and keeping Union in the game at 3-0.  Her counterpart, senior Kaitlin Branon, making her first career start in goal for the Scarlet and Brown, stopped all three of Union's bids in the opening frame.

 

Connors netted two second-period goals for the Saints. She made the score 4-0 only 33 seconds into the period when she fired a slap from just outside the circle, and picked up the second at 16:32 of the second stanza with a wrist shot that beat Hanson glove-side.

 

Though Brannon had been forced to make only six stops heading into the third, Union came out strong in the period and applied some pressure in the offensive zone.  The Dutchwomen would strike 45 seconds into the third, as senior

Meghan O'Connor (Portsmouth, RI) tucked the puck between the near post and Branon's pad to put Union on the scoreboard 45 seconds into the final frame. Kelly Lannan (Pittsfield, MA) and Suzy Pocock (Sterling Heights, MI) registered assists on the goal. .

 

Marianna Locke scored the team's third power play goal of the afternoon only 1:05 later to extend the Saints' lead to 6-1, and Connors completed the hat trick at 14:54 of the third period. 

 

Between the pipes, Branon earned her first career victory with an eight save performance.  Hanson made 49 saves on 56 shots.

 

Union is back in action on Friday, January 26 at Cornell in a 7 p.m. ECACHL game.