MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College women's ice hockey team dropped its home opener by a 6-3 score to the University of Maine in non-conference action on Saturday.

The Hawks fall to 0-3-0 on the season while the Black Bears improve to 1-2-0. Saint Anselm has a quick turnaround as they host the reigning U Sports Women's Ice Hockey National Champions, Concordia, in an exhibition game on Sunday, Oct. 2.

Senior Devin Porazinski (Parker, Colo.) and sophomores Tyra Turner (Andover, Minn.) and Gracee Donovan (Orchard Park, N.Y.) netted a goal each for the Hawks in the contest. Six student-athletes recorded an assist in the home opener including freshman Brooklyn Pancoast (Helena, Mont.) who collected her first collegiate point in the second period.

The Black Bears opened the game with a pair of goals in the opening 1:14 as Emma Lange opened the scoring just one minute into play before Grace Heiting found the back of the net on a cross-ice pass by Luisa Welcke just 14 seconds later.

Porazinski netted the first goal of the season for the Hawks at 3:03 of the opening period. The senior slapped home a pass in the low slot which pushed the score to 2-1 for the visitors.

That would end the scoring in the first period as Maine led 2-1 on the scoreboard and by a 13-4 margin in shots on goal through the opening 20 minutes.

Heiting wasted no time jumping on the board in the second stanza as she managed to beat the Hawks senior goaltender Allie Kelley (East Berne, N.Y.) on a rebound chance just 40 seconds into the period.

Ally Trimper and Ashley Bialas both found the back of the net in the second period at 5:26 and 9:41, pushing the Maine lead to 5-1.

Turner netted her first goal of the 2022-23 season at 10:53, cashing in on a rebound on the power play. Sophomore Audrey Jackson (Shoreview, Minn.) and graduate student Kelly Golini (Tewksbury, Mass.) worked behind the net to get the puck out front for Turner who followed up Jackson's initial shot attempt.

Donovan cut the Hawks deficit to 5-3 at 15:57 of the second period as she buried a rebound chance off a feed from Pancoast. Junior Abigail Blair (Grand Island, N.Y.) forced the turnover in the attacking end which allowed Pancoast to push towards the goal with numbers.

A nearly scoreless third period was snapped by the Black Bears as Ida Kuoppala fired a wrist shot into the upper half of the goal to extend the lead to 6-3 at 17:33 of the final period.

Maine put 53 shots on goal compared to 21 for Saint Anselm. The Hawks were one-for-two on the power play while the Black Bears were scoreless in four chances.

Kelley turned aside 47 shots on target in the losing effort while Anna Larose made 18 saves in the goal for Maine.