ROCHESTER, NY – Senior Abbey Luth scored a pair of goals and six others added single goals as the Nazareth College Women's Hockey team opened the 2021-22 season with an explosive 8-1 win over Buffalo State at the Bill Gray's Iceplex.

Nazareth (1-0-0) used a goal by junior Olivia Miller-Johnson with six minutes left in the opening period to get things started as fellow junior Rae Rice picked up the assist.

In the second period, the Golden Flyers exploded for five goals. Junior Makenna Wiljanen scored early in the period and then Luth scored back-to-back goals in a two-minute span to open up a 4-0 lead.

Buffalo State (0-1-0) scored its lone goal midway through the period but Nazareth added two more goals before the end of the period as senior Keeley Rose and senior Gabriella DeMeo each netted goals. The Rose goal was a short-handed goal – the second of the game for Nazareth as Luth scored a short-handed goal as well.

In the final period Rice scored a power play goal and junior Ally Watrous scored with less than a minute to play to cap the scoring.

Senior Adrienna Brehm made seven saves for the win while Buffalo goalie Jessica Auge was credited with 48 stops.