Schenectady, N.Y. - Power play efficiency paved the way for the Clarkson University Women's Hockey team as four skater-up goals contributed to a 5-2 win at Union College, Friday evening. 

Clarkson improves to 4-3-0 overall, 1-0 in league play following the win. The team makes the short trip to Troy, New York on Saturday to take on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at 3 p.m.

The Knights got on the board early, less than six minutes into the opening period. Sara Manness received the puck alongside the right board from Lara Beecher and centered a pass to an uncovered Sena Catterall in the middle of the ice to tuck it past the right shoulder of the Union goalie. Sara Manness would come within inches of adding a goal to her points tally at the 10:50 mark, hitting the left post following a feed from Catterall on a 2 on 1 break. 

Union levelled the score up at the 12:46 mark, Mikayla Blomquist was sent on a 2 on 1 break going the other way, carrying the puck from inside the Union defensive zone. Blomquist kept the puck herself and dispatched a shot into the top left corner of the Clarkson goal. Union would  take full advantage of a second Clarkson penalty in the first period when Klara Kenttala forced in a weakside shot following a feed across the goal from Maddie Leaney on the right wing putting the hosts up 2-1. 

Less than a minute later, Clarkson capitalized on a power play of their own just six seconds into a hooking call on the Garnet Chargers. Sara Manness was credited with another assist as her wrist shot from the left slot deflected off the pad of the Union goalie, falling right into the path of Keira Hurry who tucked it away to level the score headed into the first intermission. Both teams struggled to stay out of the penalty box through the opening 20 with Clarkson accruing four penalties to Union's two. 

The Knights would go a skater up again just over a minute into the second period producing four shots with one hitting the pipe and two others requiring saves from Monja Wagner but the hosts were ultimately successful in the kill. Both teams would have players sent to the box at the 8:50 mark following a scuffle that took place after a whistle. The Clarkson defense would successfully manage another skater-down situation, this time allowing just one shot that was collected by Holly Gruber. 

Following a constant theme on the night, the Knights would go on another power play following a high sticking call and waste no time in making the advantage count. Just 15 seconds after the faceoff, Megan McKay sent a low shot from just in front of the blue line on the left side that flew towards goal before being tipped by Rhea Hicks in front of the net. The deflection did just enough to force the puck past Wagner for the second power play goal of the evening for Clarkson. 

Hurry would add an important insurance goal at 13:28 in the final period for the third Clarkson power play goal of the contest. After settling the puck in the offensive third, Hurry was left alone at the top of the zone and ripped a shot on goal that snuck through the legs of the goaltender for a 4-2 lead. With just under two minutes remaining, Catterall finished off a nice offensive move for another powerplay goal with the cross-ice feed coming from Sara Manness by way of Kate Manness as the 5-2 scoreline would hold for the final. 

Clarkson held the advantage in shots (65-44) and shots on goal (23-18) as well as winning the faceoff battle (38-24). Gruber made 16 saves in goal for the Knights while Wagner made 18 in goal for Union.