MANCHESTER, N.H. - Three first-period goals and strong third-period goaltending from Lauren Larson lifted the Sacred Heart women's hockey team to a 3-2 victory over Saint Anselm at Sullivan Arena. 

Isabella Chaput, Ella Holm and Sydney Antonakis were the goal scorers for the Pioneers, who remain in first place in the NEWHA.

RECORDS

Sacred Heart: 12-8-1 (11-3-1 NEWHA)
Saint Anselm: 6-13-2 (6-7-2 NEWHA)

SHU SCORING LEADERS

Isabella Chaput (1 goal, 1 assist)
Ella Holm (1 goal)
Sydney Antonakis (1 goal)
Olivia LaRoche (1 assist)
Savannah Popick (1 assist)
Ally Cohen (1 assist)

DOMINANT FIRST PERIOD

A pair of goals less than a minute apart capped a dominant opening 20 minutes for the Pioneers. Chaput started the scoring at 5:40 with her team-leading ninth tally of the season, assisted by Savannah Popick and Olivia LaRoche.

Holm and Antonakis scored 54 seconds apart late in the period as SHU was in front 3-0 after 20 minutes.

NO GOALS IN SECOND PERIOD

Sacred Heart outshot the Hawks 13-7 in the second period but neither team found the back of the net. The Pioneers killed off a late Saint Anselm power play to keep the shutout going.

SAINT ANSELM RALLIES IN THIRD PERIOD

Trailing 3-0 entering the third, Saint Anselm applied consistent pressure. And it didn't take the Hawks long to get back in the game. Audrey Jackson scored just 39 seconds in to get the Hawks on the board. Jackson's second goal of the afternoon with 5:04 remaining pulled Saint Anselm within one. Larson, though, made several big stops in the final minutes and SHU successfully killed off a late Saint Anselm power play to seal the victory. Larson finished with 29 saves, including 15 in the third period.

WHAT'S NEXT

The same two teams meet again at Sullivan Arena on Saturday. The opening faceoff is set for 1 p.m.