Syracuse ice hockey’s undefeated start ends with 5-2 loss to Mercyhurst

By: Carter Masterson | @cwmasterson16

ERIE, PA. – Syracuse ice hockey (3-1, 1-1 AHA) entered Saturday’s matchup against Mercyhurst (3-3, 1-1 AHA) aiming to start its season with four consecutive wins for the first time in program history. To do that, SU needed to sweep Mercyhurst for the first time in more than seven years. But the Lakers spoiled that chance with a 5-2 victory over the Orange. Mercyhurst hit the ground running early with a snipe on its first shot of the game, just over five minutes in right off the break out. After that, it was a back and forth game most of the period. SU had one chance on the power play in the first, but to no avail. Neither team could really find its footing offensively and the goaltenders showed up to play. The second period was very different right from the get-go. The Orange went to the power play two and a half minutes into the period, and fumbled the opportunity away, giving up a shorthanded goal to go down multiple scores for the first time this campaign. SU answered very quickly, with senior Jackson Kinsler finding the back of the net for the third time this season, off assists from Gnade, and McLeod. But after that, the second frame went downhill for SU.

The Orange gave up another shorthanded goal halfway through the period, and to add insult to injury went 0-3 on the frame. The ‘Cuse gave up four power plays themselves in the second period, and although Mercyhurst never scored while on one, it added a fourth goal seconds after its final opportunity, and just three seconds before the end of the middle frame. But the ‘Cuse did not go out without a fight. SU started off the third with its first power play goal of the game on its fourth chance. Once again it was associate captain Jackson Kinsler, this time off Emma Gnade’s team leading fifth assist of the season. From that point on the Orange controlled most of the period but they could not find the back of the net. A late penalty from SU, its season-high sixth of the game, killed any momentum and chance at a comeback. Mercyhurst went on to bury an empty-netter to finish this one off and send Syracuse back home with its first loss of the season. Syracuse gets right back to conference action when it welcomes No. 4 Penn State (2-2, 2-0 AHA) to Tennity next weekend. Follow @cwmasterson16 and @CitrusTVSports on X for live game updates when the east coast foes face off at 6 p.m on Friday.