ECAC Hockey play started off on the right note for the Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team on Friday night as the Golden Knights shut out Union College 3-0 at Cheel Arena. Three different Knights scored goals and freshman Erica Howe (Ottawa, ONT), making her second start of the year, recorded her first collegiate victory with the whitewash, making 14 saves as Clarkson defeated Union for the 15th consecutive game.

Clarkson (2-6-1, 1-0-0), which snapped a two-game losing streak, controlled play for the majority of the contest, outshooting the Dutchwomen 44-16, but sophomore Alana Marcinko (Altoona, PA) gave the visitors a chance for the upset with a 41-save effort in the Union crease.

Freshman Carly Mercer (Exeter, ONT) started the scoring for the Knights with her first collegiate goal at 8:24 of the first period, finishing off a pass from junior Juana Baribeau (Amos, QUE) with a shot in front.

Clarkson continued to dominate play in the middle frame, outshooting the Dutchwomen 14-4, but did not get back on the scoreboard until late in the stanza. With under two minutes to play in the period, junior defenseman Danielle Boudreau (Whitby, ONT) redirected a shot from the point by sophomore Hailey Wood (Lethbridge, ALB) for her first goal of the season, a power-play marker at 18:39.

Sophomore Danielle Skirrow (Trenton, ONT) put the Green and Gold on top 3-0 at 6:44 of the third. Skirrow, who tallied just once in her rookie campaign, picked up a loose puck at the top of the crease and spun around a low shot through traffic for her team-high fourth goal of the season. Baribeau and Wood recorded their second assists of the game on the goal.

Clarkson scored on its only power play of the contest and shut down Union (1-6, 0-1) on all three of its man-advantage chances.

On Saturday, the Knights host Rensselaer, which defeated St. Lawrence 3-2 in Canton Friday night. Union faces the Saints on Saturday.