DE PERE - St. Norbert College needed two third-period goals to forge a 3-2 win over Trine University in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Slaats Cup Playoffs quarterfinal game at Resch Olympic Pavilion.

The Green Knights (19-6-1) need just a tie or a win in Saturday's second leg of the series to advance to the NCHA Slaats Cup Playoffs semifinal round.

St. Norbert got off to a good start in the first period when Erin Huerta put the Green Knights ahead at the 14:51 mark. The Green Knights carried the one-goal lead into first intermission.

The second period saw Trine carry much of the play, eventually tying the game on a power-play goal by Gabrielle Hicks at 13:54 of the frame. The Thunder went ahead 2-1 when Maisyn Shay scored at 17:28.

Spurred on by a raucous home crowd, St. Norbert responded with the tying goal just 91 seconds into the third period when Courtnie Hogan registered her 13th marker of the year. The Green Knights finally pulled ahead when Jo Mahlum potted her 11th goal of the season with 4 minutes remaining.

Trine was able to get just 27 seconds of extra-attacker time at the end of the game as the Green Knights held off a late push to take a 1-0 series lead.

Mahlum and Hogan each had one goal and one assist for two points, while Natalie Hogan had two assists for two points.

St. Norbert outshot Trine 37-29. Brynn Waisman made 27 saves for the Green Knights, while Ella Park made 34 stops for the Thunder.

St. Norbert was 0-for-3 on the power play, while Trine was 1-for-2.