The Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team delivered a commanding offensive performance on Saturday afternoon at Cheel Arena, erupting for seven goals to secure a dominant 7-0 victory over Franklin Pierce. After struggling to find the back of the net until late in the game during their previous outing, the Knights wasted little time establishing control, scoring twice in the first period, adding two more in the second, and sealing the blowout with three additional tallies in the final frame. With the runaway win, Clarkson improved to 6-2 on the season and captured its fourth victory, while the Ravens dropped to 2-6.
The Knights finished the afternoon with a 55-12 advantage in shots on goal, completely overwhelming the Franklin Pierce defense and limiting the visitors to minimal scoring opportunities. Clarkson also capitalized heavily on special teams, converting all three of their power-play opportunities while successfully nullifying all four power-play chances for the Ravens.
Early Pressure Breaks Open at Cheel Arena
The tone for the afternoon was set immediately in the opening period, as the Knights surged out to a 24-4 edge in shots on goal. Despite the overwhelming possession and shot volume, the Franklin Pierce defense held firm for the first ten minutes of the contest.
Franklin Pierce scores one, game is at 0-1, FP
The breakthrough finally arrived at the 10:43 mark. Raedyn Spademan battled deep in the corner to dig the puck free, firing a quick pass out in front of the net. Layla Matthew managed to get just enough of her stick on the puck to push it forward, watching it slowly trickle across the goal line to open the scoring.
Late in the period, Clarkson struck again with the man advantage. Just seconds after a faceoff win in the left circle by Jessie Pellerin, the puck was tipped back to Kate Manness. A crisp pass through the slot found Sara Manness stationed at the right circle, and she deposited a clean wrist shot from the dot to double the lead to 2-0.
Middle Frame Extension and Defensive Control
Although the second period featured a more balanced shot advantage at 12-7 in favor of the Knights, Clarkson continued to widen the gap. Shelby Laidlaw kept the puck alive in the offensive zone, setting up Janelle Evans for a precise snipe from the left circle that beat the goaltender off the far post at the 4:22 mark.
The Knights struck again thirteen minutes later following a turnover in the neutral zone that sparked a 3-on-2 rush. Evans controlled the puck on the right wing, drawing defenders before finding a trailing Gabrielle Lalonde in the slot for an easy finish at 17:08, pushing the score to 4-0.
Third-Period Barrage Secures the Shutout
Clarkson put the game firmly out of reach in the third period, dominating play with a 30-4 edge in total shots and a 19-1 margin in shots on goal. Shortly after Shelby Laidlaw was taken down in the offensive zone, Kate Manness cashed in on the power play with a wrist shot from the high slot at 6:54.
Though the Knights temporarily had another goal waved off, they continued to pressure the Ravens. At 17:36, Manon Le Scodan fed Pellerin through the neutral zone, who executed a give-and-go with Sara Manness to carve out shooting space and score. Pellerin capped off her multi-point performance just moments later at 19:47, tipping in a shot from Keira Hurry during yet another power play.
Standout Performances and Goaltending
Kate Manness spearheaded the offensive explosion with a four-point outing, contributing one goal and three assists. Pellerin and Evans each chipped in three points to bolster the attack.
Between the pipes, Aneta Senkova turned away 12 shots to earn a clean sheet and secure the shutout victory for the Knights. At the other end, Rylee Eno faced a relentless barrage, recording 48 saves for Franklin Pierce in a busy afternoon.
Upcoming Matchups at Cheel Arena
Looking ahead to next weekend, the Green and Gold will return to the ice at Cheel Arena for a two-game home series against Providence. The weekend action opens on Friday with a 6:00 pm puck drop, followed by the second game on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 pm.
