Senior Kayla Raniwsky cashed in on a five-on-three power play at the 4:30 mark of the third period for the game-winning goal in No. 8/9 St. Lawrence's 2-1 win over Rensselaer in Troy, N.Y. on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Saints improve to 17-9-4 overall and 11-4-3 in the ECAC and come out the Capitol District road trip with three points. Meanwhile, the Engineers fall to 5-21-4 and 3-14-1 against conference opponents and have been eliminated from playoff contention.

"Another tight game that came down to the last seconds," Head Coach Chris Wells said. "Our games versus RPI are always very close. Our effort was there all night and we needed it versus one of the hardest working teams in the league."

Midway through the first period, sophomore center Brooke Webster took a pass from senior linemate Jacqueline Wand and snapped off a wrist shot from the left faceoff dot that hit RPI netminder Kelly O'Brien in the shoulder before trickling in behind her for a 1-0 St. Lawrence lead.

Kailee Heidersbach seemingly scored with 39 seconds remaining in the second period when her wraparound chance ended up in the pads of O'Brien, who then backed into her own net. After a lengthy review, the officials ruled no goal and the Saints took a 1-0 lead into the second intermission.

In the opening minutes of the final frame RPI's Delaney Middlebrook and Brandi Banks were whistled for minor penalties one minute apart to give the visitors a five-on-three advantage. Twenty-nine seconds into the opportunity, Raniwksy made her way back on to the score sheet when she tipped a shot by first-year Hannah Miller at the edge of the crease and behind O'Brien to give the Saints a 2-1 lead.

RPI scored at the 10:52 mark of the final frame on a wide open one-timer by Taylor Mahoney from the bottom of the left circle that beat Carmen MacDonald high on the glove side. After a battle along the half wall drew the Saints' defenders to the right side of the ice, the Engineers dug the puck out and played it quickly to Mahoney for an uncontested shot on the senior goaltender.

After trading goals in the final frame the attention shifted to the goaltenders, as both O'Brien and MacDonald made key stops for their teams.

"O'Brien made some fantastic saves in the third period to keep the game within a shot," Wells said. "We had several quality chances throughout the game."

MacDonald made a pair of huge saves to keep the Saints in front with 20 seconds remaining and the Engineers on a 6-on-4 advantage after pulling the goalie and drawing a St. Lawrence penalty. The Pictou, Nova Scotia native finished with 24 saves to earn her twelfth win of the year.

The Saints return to Appleton Arena next weekend for the final time this season, as they play host to Princeton and Quinnipiac and look to remain in the hunt for home ice in the first round of the ECAC playoffs.