Three goals in the final period helped the St. Lawrence women's hockey team open its 2015-16 season with a 4-2 exhibition win over McGill University on Wednesday afternoon at Appleton Arena.

Sophomore Kennedy Marchment led the Saints with a goal and two assists, while junior Brooke Webster added a goal and a helper of her own. Captain Amanda Boulier scored the game-winning tally midway through the third period to help the Saints to the win.

"That was a good start to our season. That's just what we needed; to play someone other than ourselves," Head Coach Chris Wells said. "We were able to see a number of line combinations and saw three goalies all in one game. The team improved with each period and finished the game off with a few pretty goals."

Sophomore Brooke Wolejko got the start in net for the Saints and played the first period, allowing one goal and making a team-high nine saves. First years Grace Harrison and Sonjia Shelly followed in the second and third, respectively, combining for 15 saves and one goal against. Harrison did not allow a goal in her 20 minutes in the cage.

McGill led 1-0 heading into the first intermission after Cora Constantinou sent a shot from the top of the left circle that ricocheted off a pair of defenders in front before finding its way behind Wolejko at the 12:47 mark.

Kirsten Padalis evened the score at 8:23 of the middle frame with three seconds remaining on a St. Lawrence power play opportunity. Senior Kailee Heidersbach, who finished with two assists on the afternoon, played the puck across the crease to Padalis who stuffed it in on the short side to tie the game at 1-1.

Early in the third period McGill took a 2-1 lead on a goal by Marie-Philip Lavoie, but it was all St. Lawrence from then on out as Marchment scored to again pull the Saints even when she put in her own rebound in tight on McGill netminder Brittany Smrke. Webster and Heidersbach assisted on the play a the 9:22 mark.

It was Boulier who finally gave the Saints the lead for good just over two minutes later with the Saints on the power play. The Watertown, Conn. native took a pass from Marchment at the point, took a stride into the zone and unloaded a blast that rang off the post before falling behind Smrke to make it 3-2 in favor of the Saints.

Webster added an insurance marker, and the Saints third power play tally of the day, with just over five minutes remaining for the eventual 4-2 margin. Hannah Miller fed the puck to Marchment at the bottom of the right circle and Marchment hit Webster in front of the crease on the far side for a beautiful backhand finish.

Overall, the Saints outshot the Martlets 34-26 and were three-for-four on the power play. They successfully killed both McGill power play opportunities on Wednesday.

St. Lawrence will open its regular season campaign this Saturday at 2 p.m. with a non-conference contest against Northeastern at Appleton Arena. Admission to all women's

hockey games for the 2015-16 season is free, compliments of North Country Savings Bank.