The Lawrence University women's hockey team finally got to have its opening night Saturday at the Appleton Family Ice Center.
     After waiting more than three months from the scheduled start of the season, the Vikings didn't get to play in front of a packed house for the program's first game due to COVID precautions, but Lawrence put forth a gutsy effort against a very talented squad from the College of St. Scholastica. The Saints scored four first-period goals and went on to a 9-1 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association victory over the Vikings. 

Former Lawrence Director of Athletics Christyn Abaray, center, drops the puck with Lawrence's Lauren Askenazy, right, and St. Scholastica's Kayla Kasel before the Feb. 13 game.

    After narrowly missing on several scoring chances, the Vikings got the final goal of the night from rookie Lauren Askenazy. The forward from Albuquerque, N.M., picked off a puck in the Lawrence end went charging through neutral ice to the St. Scholastica zone. Askenazy cut right and fired a wrist shot over the shoulder of Saints goaltender Ashlea Arvidson and into the back of the net with 3:19 left in the game.
    The Saints (4-0-0, 1-0-0 NCHA) took charge of the game early with four tallies in the opening period. Abby Pohlkamp scored just 3:11 into the game, and Taylor Murray made it 2-0 at the 7:23 mark. Kayla Kasel and Allie Bussey also scored to give the Saints a 4-0 edge headed to the second period.
    The Vikings looked like they might get on the board early in the second period when the Saints were whistled for a pair of penalties in quick succession. Lawrence had a two-person advantage for 46 seconds, but St. Scholastica starting goaltender Lori Huseby made a pair of fine saves to keep Lawrence at bay.
    The Vikings settled in during the second period and limited St. Scholastica to a pair of goals as Jessie Ketola and Rachel Anderson pushed the lead to 6-0. Ketola and Bussey both added goals in the final period along with Kennedy Halverson.

Lawrence goaltender Sydney Seeley (35) made 70 saves in her collegiate debut.

    The Saints piled up 79 shots in the game, and rookie goaltender Sydney Seeley made 70 saves for the Vikings. Huseby stopped eight shots in two periods, and Arvidson finished with six saves. Lawrence collected 15 shots on goal for the game.
    The teams wrap up the series on Sunday at Mars Lakeview Arena in Duluth, Minn.