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TROY, N.Y. - Junior Erica Howe made 24 saves and No. 6 Clarkson University got goals from three different players to defeat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) 3-1 in an ECAC Hockey women's game at Houston Field House. The Golden Knights improve to 22-7-0 overall and 14-3-0 in the league. The Engineers are now 9-17-3 and 7-9-1. 

Clarkson needed just 1:27 to get on the scoreboard as junior Vanessa Gagnon (St. Constant, PQ / Dawson Blues) knocked in a loose puck from just outside the crease on the left side. Junior Shelby Nisbet (Wiseton, SK / Swift Current Wildcats) started the play when she knocked down a clearing attempt just inside the blue line. She eventually got a shot off that caromed off the post. The puck came back and bounced off RPI goaltender Kelly O'Brien (Sussex, WI / Madison Capitals), deflecting to Gagnon, who poked it in for her fifth goal of the season.

The Golden Knights went ahead by two goals at 6:24 of the second period when senior Danielle Skirrow (Trenton, ON / Durham Jr. Lightning) skated down the left side, moved around a defender and fired a shot just under the crossbar. The goal was Skirrow's 13th of the season and she was assisted by Shannon MacAulay (Mt. Herbert, PEI / Warner Warriors).

RPI pulled to within one with 1:33 left in the middle frame when sophomore Mariana Walsh (Walpole, MA / Phillips Exeter) beat Howe (Ottawa, ON / Ottawa Senators) to a loose puck behind the net and fed Lauren Wash (Belle Mead, NJ / New Jersey Rockets), who was alone in front. Wash, a freshman, finished for her sixth goal of the year. Fellow freshman Jenn Godin (Clarence Center, NY / Tabor Academy) joined Walsh on the assists. 

Clarkson capitalized on consecutive power plays, scoring its third goal on the second of two in a row against the Engineers. Freshman Erin Ambrose (Keswick, ON / Toronto Jr. Aeros) got the goal when her point shot deflected off an RPI defender and into the net. Junior Jamie Lee Rattray (Kanata, ON / Ottawa Senators) earned the assist on the goal, which came at 12:14 of the third period. 

Howe had seven saves in the first period, 12 in the second and five in the third. O'Brien finished with 12 stops in the first, seven in the second and nine in the third for a total of 28 saves.

RPI hosts St. Lawrence University on Saturday at 4pm, while the Golden Knights travel to Schenectady to face league foe Union College at the same time.