Potsdam, NY – An offensive outburst in the second period powered the 6th-ranked Clarkson University Women's Hockey team by the McGill University Martlets 7-0 in an exhibition game at Cheel Arena on Friday night.

The Golden Knights return to regular season action next weekend with a home-and-home series against archrival St. Lawrence University. The Saints will host the Knights on Friday evening at 7:00 pm before coming to Cheel Arena on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 pm to finish the weekend series.

Clarkson is currently 14-4-2 (5-2-1 ECAC Hockey) on the season and tied for fifth in the conference with St. Lawrence, four points behind leader Harvard.

"I thought we came out in the first period a little rusty from break, but thought our second and third periods were very good," stated co-head coach Matt Desrosiers. "It was great having this exhibition game against a good McGill team to allow us to work on some things and prepare for league games down the stretch. We were able to get some players into some different roles and situations that will benefit us in the second half."

An early power-play opportunity benefitted the Golden Knights, as senior Vanessa Plante (Riviere-du-Loup, QUE) gathered the rebound from freshman Genevieve Bannon (Candiac, QUE) in front of the net and beat McGill goaltender Andrea Weckman to give Clarkson the 1-0 advantage three minutes into the game.

Following the goal, both teams went back and forth with various scoring chances, but much of the first period came and went without significant pressure on either goaltender.

Junior Jenna Boss (Little Canada, MN) got the start in net for the Green and Gold and stopped all seven shots she faced in the first period.

The Golden Knights held a 10-4 advantage in face offs in the first period, and junior Daniella Matteucci (Fruitvale, BC) had two blocked shots to help keep McGill off the board in the first.

Just over two minutes into the second period Clarkson struck again, as sophomore Cayley Mercer (Exeter, ONT) beat Weckman to put the Knights up 2-0. Junior Christine Lambert (Thetford Mines, QUE) found Matteucci, who dragged the puck into the zone and found Mercer in front for the goal.

Sophomore defenseman Renata Fast (Burlington, ONT) blasted a slap shot from the blue line through the McGill defense to put the Knights up 3-0 at the 6:21 mark in the second period. Senior captain Carly Mercer (Exeter, ONT) and freshman Jessica Gillham (Exbridge, ONT) were both credited with assists on the goal.

Less than 90 seconds later, Bannon added another goal as Carly Mercer won an offensive zone faceoff that was controlled in front by senior Jamie Lee Rattray (Kanata, ONT), who passed across the front of the net to Bannon for the wide open goal.

The Knights dominated puck possession in the second period, outshooting the Martlets 10-1 and holding a 22-8 faceoff advantage through two periods.

After the first 10 minutes of the third period went by without much action, a five-on-three for Clarkson resulted in the fifth goal of the game, this time scored by sophomore Erin Ambrose (Keswick, ONT) with assists from seniors Brittany Styner (Calgary, ALB) and Vanessa Gagnon (St. Constant, QUE).

Styner would add a goal of her own with less than five minutes to play to put the Knights up 6-0.

Gagnon scored the game's seventh goal as she took a passes from Rattray and Styner and beat the goaltender to reach the final of 7-0.

Boss picked up the victory, stopping all 14 shots she faced on the evening. Clarkson outshot McGill 23-14, including 17-7 over the final two periods.