Mercyhurst (7-4-2, 2-1-1 CHA) used a three-goal third period to get past the Syracuse ice hockey team (6-5-1, 2-1-1 CHA), taking a 5-3 victory on Saturday afternoon at Mercyhurst Ice Center. The teams were tied for most of the game until the Lakers notched the game-winning goal with 2:56 left in the contest.
The Orange converted on two of 10 power play opportunities and limited the Lakers to just two chances. Both teams put 31 shots on target with SU outshooting Mercyhurst in both the second and third periods.
Kallie Billadeau (3-5-1) was the goalie in charge, making 26 saves and allowing four goals in the loss. This is just the third time this season that she has played two consecutive games.
Eight different Orange recorded a point against Mercyhurst. Caitlin Roach was the only SU player to record two points in the game.
Mercyhurst was the first to score, shooting one from five yards out past Billadeau to take a 1-0 lead with 7:20remaining in the first period. Nicole Ferrara would tie the game at 1-1 midway through the second with an assist by Allie LaCombe.
Syracuse sent in another one in with 8:08 remaining in the second stanza to take a 2-1 lead. Larissa Martyniuk scored her first goal of the season when she slapped one from just in front of the blue line through defenders and into the goal. The Lakers wouldn’t settle for a deficit, however, and scored the second Mercyhurst goal of the game just 27 seconds later.
The Lakers came out strong in the third period, scoring the go-ahead goal 1:58 into the final 20 minutes. SU came right back to tie it when Nicole Renault scored her second goal of the season, assisted by Kaillie Goodnough and Margot Scharfe, bringing the score to 3-3 with 14:20 left in regulation.
With 2:56 remaining in the game, Kaleigh Chippy shot the game-winning goal. The Lakers scored an empty net goal with 11 seconds left to bring the score to 5-3.
The Orange returns home next weekend to take on Robert Morris University on Friday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. andSaturday, Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. at Tennity Ice Pavillion.
