CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Maddie Mills netted her first career hat trick as the No. 7/7 Cornell women's hockey team cruised its way to a 6-0 victory over Harvard Saturday afternoon at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center Saturday afternoon.
 
This also marks the second consecutive shutout for the Big Red, which downed Dartmouth 3-0 the Friday night, and is the 13th of Marlène Boissonnault's career. With the shutout, the senior goaltender moves into sole possession of third place on the Cornell all-time list. She had previously been tied with Kathryn LoPresti (1985-88), who had 12 career shutouts. Boissonnault denied all 23 shots she faced.
 
Mills opened the game's scoring with a goal with 11:39 remaining in the first period. The play started with Jaime Bourbonnais stopping the puck on a Harvard clearing attempt in the neutral zone. Bourbonnais then sent it to Amy Curlew who gained the offensive zone. Curlew sent a pass to Mills, who charged to the slot, but it was a little behind her. Mills reached back for the puck and was forced to spin around before sending the puck through the five hole.
 
The Big Red added to its lead with a goal from Pippy Gerace with 6:02 left in the first period. Gerace was credited with the goal, but it was off a Paige Lewis shot that the Big Red earned its second goal of the night. The two were both to the left of the net when Lewis put the shot attempt on goal. The puck slightly grazed Gerace's stick and found the back of the net.
 
Mills' second goal of the game put the Big Red up 3-0 with 4:14 left in the first period. After a faceoff was won by Harvard in their own zone, the Crimson tried going behind the net to bring the puck up the opposite side. Amy Curlew recognized that and cut off the Crimson skater at the right side of the net and poked the puck to Mills, who was planted in front of the left side of the net and put it home.
 
Lenka Serdar scored the Big Red's fourth goal of the game of off her own rebound. Serdar's initial attempt came on the wraparound, but Harvard goaltender Lindsay Reed made the stop, but couldn't corral the puck. Serdar took a couple other swipes at it before eventually getting it past Reed.
 
Mills completed the hat trick with a shorthanded goal with just under nine and a half minute remaining in the second. Kristin O'Neill stopped a Harvard pass around center ice and then pushed it forward to Mills, who entered the zone uncontested. Mills then faked a shot and moved to her left and put the puck home.
 
The final Big Red goal came from Grace Graham on the power play. After Willow Slobodzian and Devon Facchinato passed the puck back and forth near the blue line, before Facchinato sent a decisive pass to Graham. Graham gathered the puck and turned around and sent it to the back of the net.
 
Not only was its offensive attack explosive, but the Big Red's defensive effort was strong as well. Harvard was held to just nine shots on goal through the first two periods of play.
 
The Big Red has a home and home series with No. 8/8 Colgate next weekend. First on Friday, Jan. 25 Cornell travels out to Hamilton, New York for a 3 p.m. matchup with the Raiders. The second game will be played at Lynah Rink on Saturday at 3 p.m.
 

THE BIG RED'S LINEUP

NOTES TO KNOW

• Mills' previous career high was two goals, which she reached twice most recently against Mercyhurst on Nov. 10.
• Mills' hat trick is the first for the Big Red since Kristin O'Neill put up three goals against Syracuse last season on Feb. 6.
• Serdar's goal was her fifth of the season.
• With an assist on the first goal, Bourbonnais has now notched a goal in 11 of the 14 games she's played this season.
• As a team, the Big Red has not allowed a goal in 154:46 combined minutes of action.