Host SLP dominated the opening period, outshooting the Huskies 8-1 and grabbing a 1-0 lead on an unassisted goal from Rylee Preston with 6:49 gone in the game.

Facing a 1-0 deficit in the league matchup, Vail St. Hilaire and the Huskies then took over. St. Hilaire, a freshman, scored both Franklin Academy goals. She tied the contest 1-1 on her first goal with 4:57 remaining in the second period and then buried what proved to be the game-winner with just 31 seconds gone in the third period on a tally assisted by Courtney Boyea and Olivia Cook.

SLP finished with a 25-11 edge in shots on goal but less than a handful of those attempts posed a serious threat for Franklin Academy netminder Gina Norcross, who finished with 24 saves and was aided by a solid defensive performance from her teammates.

“Malone hung in there and two goals was enough for them,” SLP head coach Mike Bringley said. “Defensively, we had a few breakdowns, and on offense, we have to put the puck in the net. We have to play better than that. When those 50-50 pucks were in front of the net, it seemed like Malone got to them a lot more than we did.”

Dariana Patterson carries the puck for Saranac Lake Placid in a girls hockey matchup at the Olympic Center on Tuesday. Franklin Academy's Vail St. Hilaire, pictured in the background, scored both her team's goals in its 2-1 victory over SLP. (Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

Preston put SLP on top when she beat Norcross on a backhander from the right faceoff circle in thea opening period. After taking the lead, SLP continued to build on its shot count but never put a puck past Norcross the rest of the way.

Hilaire’s first tally came on the Huskies fourth shot of the game which tied the game at 1-1. Hilaire then lifted her team into the lead when she tipped a puck past SLP goalie Olivia Ferebee just seconds into the third. Hilaire’s game-winner came on Franklin Academy’s sixth shot of the night.

SLP fell to 1-1-1 on the season, with all three games league contests. The Huskies evened their record at 2-2 with the victory.

Norcross, a sophomore, recorded 24 saves to earn the win in goal for the Huskies. Ferebee made nine stops in nets for SLP.

“First period, the girls came out flat,” Franklin Academy head coach Scott Marlow said. “They got their legs in the second period, and in the third period, we just beared down defensively and kept them to the outside. We did a pretty decent job. It was a good win, especially on this big rink.”

Ireland Preston skates with the puck past Franklin Academy’s Grace St. Mary during the second period of Tuesday's game. (Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

“It seemed like we were all over them in the first period, and they hung tough and they hung in there,” Bringley said. “Credit to Malone. They didn’t give up. It seems like once they got that first goal, they started believing and they were right in the game, and it was a good hockey game. It was a fun game to be in, a fun game to watch, it just would have been nice to bury a few of our chances.”

Saranac Lake Placid will next play three non-league road games in as many days at the Anthony Crisafulli Rink in Oswego. SLP starts off with a matchup Friday against Skaneateles , and then takes on Ithaca and Oswego on Saturday and Sunday. SLP’s next home game will be Dec. 18 against Salmon River at the Saranac Lake Civic Center starting at 6:45 p.m.