The SLP girls, which competes in Section VII, fell to the Canton Golden Bears 10-0 in the team’s home opener at the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid.

Right away the Golden Bears displayed their dominance. They jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first period and never fully let up — they added three goals, each, in the final two periods to take the win.

Sydnee Francis led the Golden Bears with three goals, while Callie Tebo and Taylor Stoll scored two each. Canton also had a goal each from Adrianna Lesperance, Madelyn Southwick and Ava Murphy.

The Golden Bears, a Section X team, finished with a 26 to 15 edge in shots on goal and kicked off their season with a big win.

SLP’s Addison Colby takes the puck down the ice with Canton’s Ashlyn Beeles defending her during Wednesday’s game at the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Despite falling, SLP head coach Butch Martin said he felt that his team got better as the game went on.

“We asked them to battle harder and work harder as the game went on,” Martin said. “I thought we did get better. We haven’t really had a full practice as a team since we started.”

After being held to just one shot in the first period, SLP recorded seven shots each in the second and third but was never able to find the back of the net.

SLP almost found the back of the net late in the third period, when eighth-grader Emma Clark stole the puck in the neutral zone before going on a break-away, which was shut down by Canton’s netminder Myiah Bullock.

“Emma had a breakaway and she works hard all of the time out there and that’s pretty much all you can ask for,” Martin said.

Saranac Lake Placid’s Emma Clark (3) shoots the puck at the net in the third period, with Canton’s Ava Murphy (7) defending her and Myiah Bullock in net. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

With 13 of the SLP’s 17-player roster in 10th grade or below, Martin said he was excited to see some of the younger players playing at the varsity level for the first time.

“They are young and we’ve got a seventh-grader in the goal. She plays peewee hockey and she’s out there facing senior girls and she did fine,” Martin said. “Little Addy Colby, even had a number of shots on net. We’ll get better but we’re awful young. We want them to have fun and we want them to compete and they got better as the game went on.”

In her first-career varsity start, Allie LaHart, a seventh-grader, recorded 16 saves, while Canton’s Bullock shutdown 15 shots.

SLP will stay at home for its next game on Wednesday against South Glens Falls at the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena at 5:30 p.m.

The team will then follow-up the two game home stand, with a road match up against the Rockland Rockies in Section I next Friday at 9 p.m. Last season, the Saranac Lake Placid girls team defeated the Rockies 3-2.

SLP’s Allie LaHart makes a stick save during Wednesday’s home opener against Canton at the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

SLP’s Marley Logan takes the puck up the ice during Wednesday’s game against Canton at the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)