Syracuse ice hockey ends on the wrong side of a 4-3 thriller against RPI on the road
By: Carter Masterson | @cwmasterson16
Troy, N.Y. — Syracuse ice hockey (8-5, 6-4 AHA) entered Friday’s contest against RPI (3-14, 1-6 ECAC) on a little bit of a skid. The Orange were 2-2 before Friday after series against Lindenwood and Delaware. Unfortunately for the ‘Cuse, that continued against the Engineers, and Syracuse came out on the wrong side of an exciting 4-3 hockey game.
The first period started super quickly for both sides. Neither team got much control at all, and it went side to side with no shots or offensive control time for the first 10 minutes or so. When matching penalties hit the two squads, the game got its first action, and RPI took an early lead. The rest of the period went RPI’s way until the very end, when it took a penalty. Syracuse immediately capitalized, and the top point-getter, Emma Gnade, tied the game right back up with a power-play goal.
The middle frame played out pretty similarly to the first, and for the first five or so minutes, nothing much went on. Once again, RPI struck first, going from below the goal line to between the circles to set the tone for the period, until another late penalty flipped momentum back. One mistake turned into two, and Syracuse went into the break with a 5-on-3 chance after another penalty.
However, instead of a goal on the power-play opportunity for SU, its chance was shut down. Syracuse turned the chance into momentum, however, and peppered the RPI goaltender. Sadie Bellissimo stood on her head for the first 10 minutes, but really for most of the game with 31 saves on the evening. After relentless pressure, the Orange broke through to tie the game off a backhand goal from Stella Costabile. The Engineers would not be deterred, though, and they answered right back with a goal just over a minute later. That wasn’t it, however, and another 40 seconds passed before RPI made it a 4-2 game. The ‘Cuse didn’t give up, and captain Nea Tervonen dug out a goal with under 90 seconds left. It wasn’t enough for SU in the end, and RPI won its second game in the last three.
Both teams hit the road Saturday as RPI makes the trek to Syracuse for game two of the set. I’ll have coverage live in person with game updates on my X, @cwmasterson16. Puck drop is at 3 p.m.
