The Syracuse hockey team went its first 34 games of the season without a shorthanded goal, but the Orange got one when it needed it most to propel the No. 2 seed Syracuse past No. 4 seed Penn State in the CHA Semifinal on Friday night in Erie, Pa.
Allie LaCombe provided the eventual game-winning goal on the penalty kill in the first period, while Kaillie Goodnough tacked on a power play goal in the third and Jenn Gilligan made 11 saves in a 2-0 shutout win to send the Orange back to the CHA Championship and one win away from its first ever NCAA Tournament berth.
“It really started in net for us,” said head coach Paul Flanagan. “Gilly played a great game but overall I thought this was a great team win. We got the goal early and in that second period we outshot them 20-4 and played well and I just felt that if we got one more we’d be ok and Kaillie scored on the power play for us in the third. Overall I thought it was a solid team win.”
LaCombe got the go-ahead tally with 6:28 to play in the first period. She took a stretch pass from Nicole Renault and walked into zone where she fired a wrist shot that went over the shoulder of Nittany Lions’ netminder Celine Whitlinger.
Following nearly 30 minutes of scoreless play after that, Kaillie Goodnough fired a shot from the point that beat Whitlinger high to go up 2-0 3:13 into the third. Goodnough took the puck from a Penn State forward and rifled a shot to the top-left corner.
Syracuse was also a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill, upping its recent hot-streak to just allowing two goals in its last-32 attempts down a skater.
‘Cuse out-shot Penn State 34-11 on the evening and Gilligan picked up her second shutout of the season.
The Orange will next take on RIT for the CHA Championship and accompanying berth in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at 3 p.m.
