The streak has ended.
For the first time in program history, the Syracuse hockey team (3-4-5, 2-1-1 CHA) defeated No. 7 Mercyhurst (9-2-1, 3-1-0 CHA).
After allowing Mercyhurst to get out to a 1-0 advantage, the Orange came back firing and scored the final four goals (with two of which coming as empty netters) to defeat the Lakers for the first time in 31 tries to win 4-1 on Saturday.
Junior goaltender Jenn Gilligan kept the Orange in the game early as she stopped 16 shots in the first period. However the Lakers would finally break through five minutes into the second period when Jennifer MacAskill jammed home a loose puck after a scrum in front of the crease.
Junior defender Nicole Renault would provide the Orange’s answer six minutes later.
After freshman forward Stephanie Grossi won the faceoff back to Renault, she walked the puck in and fired a shot that put the Orange on the board.
The teams would head back to the dressing rooms tied at one, and it would stay that way until Piacentini scored the first of her two goals on a feed from Grossi.
With just over four minutes remaining in the game, Syracuse’s special teams came up big, killing a Mercyhurst power play and preserving the lead late.
With just over one minute remaining, the Lakers pulled their goalie, allowing freshman forward Alysha Burriss to provide the ‘Cuse insurance. She scored the first of two empty net goals on a shot from the blue line, with assists to Larissa Martyniuk and Jessica Sibley.
Piacentini put the cap on the win after she took a stretch pass from senior forward Allie LaCombe, finishing the win for ‘Cuse with 15 seconds left.
Gilligan would finish the game with 28 saves.
Syracuse will now step back out of conference, closing its seven-game home stand with a pair of games against Vermont next weekend. Puck drop on Friday is scheduled for 7 p.m.with game two scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday.
