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Knights women's hockey blanks Cornell 4-0 in Top 10 match-up behind stellar play from Sauve

Posted 2/9/19

With another solid effort in the crease by Kassidy Sauve and an explosive first-period effort, Clarkson University skated to a convincing 4-0 victory over sixth-ranked Cornell in a key ECAC Hockey …

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Knights women's hockey blanks Cornell 4-0 in Top 10 match-up behind stellar play from Sauve

Posted

With another solid effort in the crease by Kassidy Sauve and an explosive first-period effort, Clarkson University skated to a convincing 4-0 victory over sixth-ranked Cornell in a key ECAC Hockey game at Cheel Arena on Friday evening.

The fourth-ranked Golden Knights extended the nation's longest current winning streak to nine games to improve to 23-5-1 overall. Winners of its last 11 conference games, Clarkson moves into second place in the ECAC Hockey standings, one point shy of first with a 14-3 league mark.

Sauve, an All-American graduate transfer from Ohio State, has been extremely sharp during the current win streak and posted 29 saves to record her 20th victory at Clarkson and fifth shutout as a Golden Knight.

The Green and Gold set the tone early in the Top 10 matchup, putting up four unanswered goals with 11 different players recording points to take a commanding lead through the opening 20 minutes.

The NCAA's leading scorer senior left wing Loren Gabel (Kitchener, ONT) started things off when she connected on a rising wrist shot from the right circle at 4:55 for her 31st goal of the season and 200th career point. Senior defenseman Josiane Pozzebon (Bourget, ONT) fed Gabel with a pass out of the corner for her 13th assist of the year. Junior center Michaela Pejzlova (Pardubice, Czech Rep.) also assisted.

Less than two minutes later, sophomore Kristy Pidgeon (Ingleside, ONT), back in the lineup after missing the previous four games with illness, pushed in a puck during a scramble at the side of the Cornell net for her fourth goal of the season. Linemates, sophomore Tia Stoddard (la Mesa, CA) and freshman Morgan Helgeson (Lake Elmo, MN) assisted.

At 14:29, seniors Kelly Mariani (Mississauga, ONT) and Cassidy Vinkle (Belleville, ONT) combined on a 2-on-1 with Mariani finishing the rush off with her sixth goal of the season. Graduate transfer T.T. Cianfarano (Oswego, NY) forced a Big Red turnover at center ice to start the play.

With 2:59 remaining in the period, Cianfarano tipped in a shot from the blueline by junior defenseman Ella Shelton (Ingersoll, ONT) for her 15th goal at Clarkson. Junior defenseman Taylor Turnquist (Blaine, MN) also assisted.

Cornell outshot Clarkson 29-18, but Sauve, who was named ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week, was solid all night with nine first-period saves, eight stops in the middle frame and 12 more over the final 20 minutes to secure her 28th all-time collegiate shutout.

The Knights killed off all four of the Big Red power plays. Clarkson was 0-of-2 with the man-advantage.

Clarkson will look to improve upon its 14-0 record at Cheel Arena when it host 10th-ranked Colgate on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.