Box Score ITHACA, N.Y. – Senior goaltender Lauren Slebodnick picked up her 54th career victory and junior forward Jillian Saulnier reached the 100-point plateau as the No. 3/4 Big Red women's hockey team doubled-up No. 5 Clarkson, 6-3, in its ECAC Hockey opener.
 
Slebodnick is now the winningest goaltender in Big Red history, as she passed former teammate Amanda Mazzotta whom she tied with two wins against Northeastern last weekend.
 
Clarkson challenged the Cornell netminder throughout the course of the game, creating traffic in front to generate scoring opportunities and posting a 41-24 advantage in shots. However, thanks to effective shot-blocking by the Big Red in the defensive zone and poise from the veteran Slebodnick, Cornell was able to weather the storm.
 
The Big Red got on the board first just 3:15 into the first period after a rare defensive miscue by the Golden Knights. Senior defenseman Vanessa Plonte misplayed a carom off the end boards through the legs of goaltender Erica Howe to put Cornell up 1-0. The goal was awarded to freshman Caroline DeBruin – the first of her career – with assists to Cassandra Poudrier and Slebodnick.
 
Just one minute and 25 seconds later, Cornell increased its lead to 2-0 when Jessica Campbell – who had been cycling with line mate Emily Fulton - sent a shot towards the net from the left corner. Howe had the post covered and made the initial stop, but kicked a rebound straight in front to Jillian Saulnier who redirected the puck into the open right side.  
 
Clarkson scored its first of the game at the 11:30 mark of the first period on a scrum in front of Slebodnick, who made one save on a Genevieve Bannon shot in close, but was unable to stop Shannon MacAulay on the rebound. MacAulay was a consistent presence in front for the Knights, using her 5-11 frame to obstruct Slebodnick's view. Carly Mercer also assisted on the play.
 
After the momentum had seemingly shifted in Clarkson's direction, Saulnier tallied her second of the night to help Cornell regain a two-goal lead at the 14:55.  Moving into the zone with linemates Campbell and Fulton, the three cycled along the right half-boards until Saulnier took control of the puck down low. She skated along the red line and around a Clarkson defender and tucked the puck under Howe on the short side to make it 3-1 Cornell and close out the first period scoring.
 
The Big Red carried that energy into the second, as senior defenseman Hayleigh Cudmore netted her third of the season at the 2:28 mark to increase the lead to three goals. Cudmore took a feed from freshman Kaitlin Doering at the blue line and fired off a slap shot that beat Howe over her right shoulder.
 
The assist is Doering's first point in a Big Red uniform. Emily Fulton also assisted on the play, picking up her third of four assists on the afternoon.
 
Cornell's penalty kill unit was put to the test when Saulnier was sent to the box for a five-minute boarding call just 34 seconds after she had returned from serving two minutes for checking.
 
Clarkson – which entered the night 8-of-44 (18.2%) on the power play for the season – was again able to generate traffic in front to beat Slebodnick. Cornell's defense blocked a Brittany Styner shot, but Erin Ambrose picked up the deflection and forced Slebodnick to make a save. Jamie Lee Rattray had pinched in close and was able to capitalize on a second-chance opportunity for the power play tally and the Golden Knights' second goal.
 
Styner scored just under three and a half minutes in to the third to pull the Knights within one, firing a shot from just in side the blue line over Slebodnick's left shoulder. Corie Jacobson and Rattray were credited with the assists. 
 
Cornell squashed Clarkson's hope for a comeback when Jessica Campbell tallied her first of the year at 13:34.
 
The play started when Saulnier – who took a lead-pass from Fulton – started an odd-man rush into the Clarkson zone. Rather than taking a shot, Saulnier turned her back to the defense and left a drop-pass for Campbell. The senior co-captain sent a blazing wrist shot from the top of the left circle that beat the two-time defending ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Year on the blocker side, just under the crossbar.
 
With the assist on Campbell's goal, Saulnier earned the 100th point of her career and capped a three-point afternoon.
 
With time winding down and Clarkson looking to pull Howe for the extra attacker, senior defenseman Alyssa Gagliardi netted the sixth and final Big Red goal at the 18:11 mark.
 
Gagliardi started the play when she passed the puck off to Fulton at the blue line. Fulton moved down along the right boards and sent the puck towards Howe. This time is was Cornell that generated traffic in front, as Gagliardi crashed the net and tucked in the rebound for her first of the year.
 
With the win, Cornell improves to 3-0 and 1-0 in conference play, while Clarkson drops to 5-3-0 (0-1 ECAC).