MacAulay and Howe Log First Career NCAA Goals in Win for Clarkson

Boasting one of the finest recruiting classes in NCAA Women's Hockey, the Clarkson Golden Knights freshmen are starting to pay dividends. Shannon MacAulay, the pride of Prince Edward Island, logged her first career goal in a 5-1 win over the Vermont Catamounts on October 13.

In addition, the power forward logged an assist in the win. Olivia Howe, a highly accomplished junior player from Saskatchewan also found herself on the score sheet with her first goal and assist.

Entering the game as the No. 7 ranked team in the national polls, MacAulay opened the scoring at the 4:24 mark of the first period for the Golden Knights. Jamie Lee Rattray, the leading goal scorer for Clarkson, and Olivia Howe assisted on said goal.

MacAulay would reciprocate as her and Erin Ambrose (who played together for Team Canada at the 2012 IIHF Under-18 Worlds) assisted on Olivia Howe’s first NCAA goal 35 seconds later. Vermont’s Brittany Zuback managed to reduce Clarkson’s lead when she scored at the 6:45 mark.

Clarkson goaltender Emily Horn was making her first ever start for the Golden Knights. After two periods, Clarkson outshot Vermont 24-16, but Clarkson managed to log two more markers. Jamie Lee Rattray scored at the 13:44 mark, while senior Danielle Skirrow scored a power-play goal with 15 seconds remaining.

The final stanza saw Shelby Nisbet score her second goal of the campaign to provide Clarkson with an insurmountable 5-1 lead. Special teams played a crucial factor in the win as Clarkson went 1-for-3 on their power play, while going a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.

Prior to joining the Golden Knights, MacAulay was part of the Canadian Under-18 national team. She participated in an exhibition vs. the U.S. in August 2011, and helped Canada claim the gold at the 2012 IIHF Worlds. In the summer, MacAulay and her teammates would be presented with championship rings at a Hockey Canada gala that also featured Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and Cassie Campbell.

MacAulay also represented Team Atlantic in several Canadian tournaments, including the 2009 and 2011 Under-18 Canadian Nationals, and the 2011 Canada Winter Games. In addition, she attended the Warner School in Alberta and was their team captain from 2010 to 2012.

Olivia Howe attended the Canadian Under-18 national camp twice but was never selected to their final roster. Like MacAulay, she also competed at the 2011 U18 Nationals and Canada Winter Games. Howe would be a member of Team Saskatchewan at both events.

During the 2011-12 season, Howe was team captain for the prestigious Notre Dame Hounds of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League. Upon graduation from Notre Dame, she was the all-time leading scorer in league history.