Sophie Holden scored with less than five minutes to play in regulation and Anna Segedi added an empty-net goal to lead the St. Lawrence University women's hockey team to a 3-1 win over Syracuse University at Tennity Ice Pavilion on Tuesday night in Syracuse.

Jessica Poirier also scored a goal for the Saints, who were playing their first game in a month after a break for exams and the holidays.

Syracuse held a 26-13 edge in shots on goal in the first two periods, but the chances were much closer in the third, with the Orange holding an 11-10 advantage.

"We dug deep in the third and found a way to win this game tonight," said St. Lawrence head coach Chris Wells '92. "Syracuse had  great jump all game and our goalies played great to allow us to be in a position to win at the end. Our first goal was on a fourth or fifth effort and the game winner came off a very well executed delay on a line rush. Nice pass and a blast for a shot off the post and in. We are still learning who we are and learning how to win games like tonight helps the process."

Poirier, skating on the Saints' top forward line for the first time in her career, gave St. Lawrence a 1-0 lead just over three minutes into the game. The junior from Green Valley, Ontario, slid the puck past Syracuse goaltender Allison Small on a scramble in front of the net after Small stopped a slap shot by Kayla Vespa and two backhand bids by Anna Segedi.

Syracuse's Abby Moloughney tied the game with a high backhand from the bottom of the right circle just a few seconds after the Orange won an offensive zone faceoff late in the second period.

Holden gave the Saints a 2-1 lead with just 4:26 remaining in the third period, firing a slap shot from the high slot into the top right corner for her third goal of the season. Brittney Gout and Jacquie Diffley earned assists on the play.

Segedi added an empty-net goal from her own blue line to put the game away.

Small made 20 saves for the Orange, while all three goaltenders who dressed for the Saints played one period in the Saints' first game of 2020. Caitlin Whitehead made 11 saves in the first period, Jaimie Rainville stopped 14 shots in the second, and Lucy Morgan earned the win, making 11 saves in the third.

The Saints improved to 7-7-5 on the season, while Syracuse fell to 5-13-1. St. Lawrence, which has wrapped up the non-league portion of its schedule, returns to ECAC Hockey play with a weekend series at Brown and Yale.