The Syracuse hockey team (6-12-9, 4-4-5 CHA) picked up its ninth tie on the season in Friday’s series opener with Penn State (13-10-4, 7-4-2 CHA) as the teams played to an even 2-2 final score in a battle between a pair of the top-three teams in the CHA standings.
Syracuse appeared to net the game winner with just over one minute remaining in regulation, but the play was blown dead despite the puck still appearing to be loose well in front of the crease. Melissa Piacentini started the play by beating her defender and throwing the puck on net that was finished by Nicole Renault crashing the net, but the officials ruled that the play had been blown dead and neither team would score the rest of the way.
Penn State netted the first goal when Caitlin Reilly split a pair of ‘Cuse defenders near the blue line and Reilly was able to skate in on a breakaway and beat goaltender Jenn Gilligan blocker side for the goal in the opening minutes.
Syracuse answered later in the period when Alysha Burriss recorded her 10th goal of the season. Jessica Sibley and Larissa Martyniuk were credited with the assists on the play.
After a scoreless second, Piacentini got ‘Cuse back on the board for its only lead of the game. Near the end of the Orange’s power play opportunity, Renault sent a quick pass to Jessica Sibley behind the Orange net. Sibley immediately found the tape of Piacentini who snuck a quick shot past Nittany Lions’ net minder Celine Whitlinger for the go-ahead goal.
Piacentini’s power play goal was her ninth of the year which moves her into the nation’s lead in the category all by her lonesome. The junior forward would tally a game-high 11 shots in the contest.
However, the Syracuse lead wouldn’t last long. Just over four minutes into the third period (and only 1:06 after Piacentini’s goal) Emily Laurenzi netted the game-tying goal for the Nittany Lions on feeds from Shannon Yoxheimer and Hannah Hoenshell, to give the game its final result.
Syracuse nearly doubled Penn State in shots, with Whitlinger making 40
saves for Penn State and Gilligan tallying 21 for the Orange.
The teams will meet again on Saturday at 2 p.m. to bring the Orange’s eight-game road trip to a close.
