With hard-fought 7-3 victory over Union College on Saturday afternoon at Cheel Arena, Clarkson University Women's Hockey extended its winning streak to eight games.

Ranked third in the country, the Golden Knights improve to 19-3-1 overall and remain in first place in the ECAC Hockey standings with a 10-2 league mark. Clarkson opens a four-game road trip next weekend, playing at Harvard and Dartmouth.

The final score may not have indicated it, but the Knights had to battle past a determined Union squad (6-15-3, 4-8-0) to keep their winning streak alive. Tied 2-2 with the Dutchwomen midway through the second period, Clarkson pulled away for its 13th consecutive win over Union, scoring five of the final six goals, including the last three in the final minutes of the third after the Dutchwomen made it a one-goal game with less than five minutes remaining.

The Green and Gold nearly doubled the shots of the visitors, owning a 42-22 advantage. Clarkson struck twice on five power-play opportunities, while shutting down all four of Union's man-advantage chances.

Clarkson dominated the first period, outshooting Union 18-3 through the first 20 minutes. It was the Dutchwomen, however, who struck first, scoring just 22 seconds in with Katelyn Russ' goal.

A power-play tally by freshman Kristy Pidgeon (Ingleside, ONT) at 17:34 tied the game. Defenseman, junior Josiane Pozzebon (Bourget, ONT) and sophomore Ella Shelton (Ingersoll, ONT) set up Pidgeon's fourth goal of the season.

Freshman sensation Elizabeth Giguere (Quebec City, QUE) knocked in a bouncing puck at the top of the crease at 2:01 of the middle frame for her 16th goal of the season, putting the Knights in front 2-1. Junior Loren Gabel (Kitchener, ONT) and Pozzebon assisted.

Midway through the period, the Dutchwomen tied it once again on a shot from the point by defenseman Caityn McLaren that found its way through traffic in front at 10:08.

With 2:09 remaining in the stanza, senior defenseman Savannah Harmon (Downers Grove, IL) put the Green and Gold back on top. The Knights' captain picked up a loose puck in the Clarkson end, weaved through the Union defense and finished off the rush for an unassisted goal on a low shot from the slot for her fifth goal of the season, giving the Knights a 3-2 lead through 40 minutes.

Six seconds into Clarkson's final power play of the night, junior Rhyen McGill (Whitby, ONT) picked up a bouncing puck that rattled off the far post on a shot by Gabel and scored her ninth goal of the season to give the Knights a 4-2 lead at 3:48 of the final period.

Union would not quit, however, and pulled back to within one on a goal by Mori Makayla at 15:04.

Clarkson sealed the win with the three goals in span of 3:15. Just six seconds after the Dutchwomen's third score, McGill tallied her second of the night on a 2-on-1 rush with Pidgeon at 15:10.

Gabel followed with her 17th of the season and 57th career marker with linemates Giguere and sophomore center Michael Pejzlova (Pardubice, Czech rep.) assisting. With that assist, Pejzlova extended her point-scoring streak to 14 games.

Pidgeon added an empty-net goal with 1:35 remaining for her second goal of the contest.

Senior Shea Tiley (Owen Sound, ONT) posted 19 saves for her 98th career victory in the Clarkson crease. Coco Francis made 35 stops for Union.