Late 2nd Period Goal Propels Mercyhurst Past Syracuse 4-2

By Eric Moon

CitrusTV Women’s Ice Hockey Reporter

Syracuse, N.Y. – Halfway through the second period, Syracuse and Mercyhurst were locked in a scoreless affair, but the chances were there. Both teams provided heavy pressure, it appeared it was only a matter of time before one team found the back of the net.  

Then both teams broke through. Mercyhurt’s Vilma Tanskanen scored a power play goal to get the Lakers on the board. Less than a minute and a half later, Jessica DiGirolamo knotted the game up with a power play goal of her own.It appeared as if the game would be a stalemate at the end of two periods.But with 9.4 seconds left, Maggie Knott scored a backbreaking goal on a deflection to give Mercyhurst a 2-1 lead after two periods of play.

“Their second goal at the end of the second period was really deflating,” Syracuse head coach Paul Flanagan said. “It was really hard to pull them out of that sort of disappointment.”

In the third period, the Orange were never able to even up the scoreboard.

Knott scored her second goal of the night early in the period to make it 3-1. Syracuse (0-2, 0-1 CHA) then cut the lead to 3-2, before the Lakers (1-4, 1-0) put the game away for good with 12 minutes left to seal the 4-2 victory at Tennity Ice Pavilion.

“You could tell, after they scored, on our bench, we got really low, and we should’ve just came back harder,” said Defenseman Dakota Derrer. “It did change the energy of the game though.”

Coach Flanagan also said after the fourth goal, Mercyhurst did a great job thwarting SU scoring opportunities and even just rushes toward the Mercyhurst defensive zone.

“They doubled us up because their execution was better.,” Flanagan said. “They executed and we had our chances.”

Syracuse did not score a goal when playing five-on-five. Both goals on the power play, a unit that went 2-for-4 on the night. The Orange have scored three goals this season. Every goal has come via the power play.

Lauren Bellafontaine and Abby Moloughney, both freshmen, tallied power play points. Bellafontaine scored a goal and an assist while Moloughney added an assist. Sophomore Jessica DiGirolamo provided a goal and an assist and Redshirt Senior Brooke Avery also tallied an assist.

Syracuse and Mercyhurst wrap up their weekend series at Tennity Ice Pavillion Saturday afternoon. Puck drop is at 3 p.m.

ewmoon@syr.edu | @ericmoon22