Syracuse Ice Hockey Unable to Overcome Robert Morris on the Road
By John Dales
Citrus TV Women’s Ice Hockey Beat Reporter
In the several months that make up a season, teams are bound to run into a game where seemingly nothing goes their way. That game played out on Friday night for Syracuse (6-15-1, 5-3-1 College Hockey America) against Robert Morris (13-8-2, 7-2 CHA). The Orange came into this matchup at Colonials Arena with a shot at 1st place in the CHA on the line. A win would catapult SU past the Colonials in the standings, creating a tie with Mercyhurst atop the conference. The sense of urgency needed in a battle for first place was just not there tonight for the Orange. Simply looking at the amount of penalty minutes on either side. The Orange committed three penalties and gave up two goals on those chances. Meanwhile, the Colonials had one less penalty, and shut out the ‘Cuse power play.
The game began with a tight first quarter. The Orange put up only one less shot than Robert Morris, and only lost the faceoff battle by one as well. Just four minutes after puck drop, Brynn Koocher got called for tripping, and the Colonials had an early power play opportunity. They would make good of this advantage. Lexi Templeman snuck one by Ady Cohen to get Robert Morris on the board first 5:21 into the first period. After the two teams remained scoreless the rest of the way, it was 1-0 Colonials at the 1st intermission.
The 2nd period featured much more action on both sides. Kyleigh Hanzlik started things off with a goal to put RMU up 2-0. The Orange responded quickly after falling into this two-goal deficit. Just 41 seconds later, Abby Moloughney buried a goal from just in front of the crease to make it a 2-1 game. Penalties would end up being a killer, though. Just under four minutes after SU got on the board, Michaela Boyle stretched the Colonials’ lead back to two. To make matters worse, a delayed penalty was called on SU’s Lindsay Eastwood after the goal, so SU went on the penalty kill. The Orange were able to kill off that penalty with no further damage, but had a power play of their own later on in the period that came up empty. At the end of two periods, it remained a 3-1 Robert Morris lead.
Syracuse needed a big comeback in the third period, but never came close. Just under two minutes into the final period of play, Michaela Boyle scored her second of the night for the Colonials to make it 4-1. To follow that up, the Orangeearned another power play but, once again, did not score. Then, with just under three minutes to play, Robert Morris had another power play and cashed in once again. This time, it was Jaycee Gebhard getting it by Cohen, to make the final score 5-1.
Syracuse has a chance to bounce back when these two teams play each other tomorrow afternoon. Head coach Paul Flanagan has been sitting on 399 career wins for two games now, and tomorrow’s rematch is his team’s chance to earn him victory number 400.
jdales@syr.edu | @JohnDales_
