Syracuse Seals Three-Game Win Streak after Grounding Sacred Heart, 7-3

Saturday, November 1

Syracuse, NY

2:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

Sacred Heart

The Syracuse ice hockey team outscored Sacred Heart, 17-3, in the first weekend homestand of program history. The Orange will be showcased in CHA play against Mercyhurst at the Onondaga County War Memorial on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.

Syracuse Seals Three-Game Win Streak after Grounding Sacred Heart, 7-3

11/1/2008 4:22:26 PM | Ice Hockey

Box Score

Box Score

Season Statistics

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse University ice hockey team did not let last night's big victory in the historic home opener against Sacred Heart stand in the way of a three-game winning streak as the Orange toppled the Pioneers, 7-3, on Saturday afternoon at the Tennity Ice Pavilion.

"It was good to see our team stay motivated and stay hungry," head coach Paul Flanagan said. "I like how we worked the powerplay situations to our advantage this afternoon. We need to polish up the penalty kill at bit, but all in all, this was a great weekend for this program. I am really looking forward to a stern test with Mercyhurst in a couple weeks."

Freshman Megan Skelly (Taber, Alberta) combined for three points in the contest through two goals, including her second powerplay goal on the season, and one assist.

Senior defenseman Nikki Leone (Trenton, Ontario) finished off an impressive weekend with two goals on Saturday, including one of three Syracuse powerplay markers. In Friday night's contest, Leone recorded a goal and an assist, apiece.

"The energy in the locker room is a peak right now," Leone said. "We're playing top level hockey and we need to keep up this pace with a big matchup here in a couple weeks. This weekend could not have gone any better for us and for this program and I'm excited to see where the team can go from here."

For the first time this year, Flanagan tested all three of his netminders. Junior Lucy Schoedel (Ithaca, N.Y.), freshman Steph Jones (Thornhill, Ontario) and junior Alison Lee (Los Altos, Calif.) each started one period of play, respectively. For Lee, it was her first action in the Orange sweater. Schoedel remained perfect on the weekend, blocking four shots in the first stanza. Jones made nine stops and yielded one Pioneers' goal in the second frame while Lee stepped in for the final session of play and allowed two tallies while turning away eight attempts.

Skelly notched the first Syracuse goal in powerplay fashion just 2:45 into the contest after SHU's Jennifer Burroughs was sent to the box for a checking call at 1:45. Skelly meandered around the crease and dumped the puck past Amanda Nagel for the early 1-0 edge. Sophomore Stefanie Marty (Nussbaumen, Switzerland) and freshman Lisa Mullan (Victoria, British Columbia) were recognized with the assists.

Skelly's assertive offensive play put the Orange ahead 2-0 at 5:09 after sophomore Cheyenne Bojeski (Hamilton, Ontario) provided the first-year winger with a great pass in the open zone. Skelly posted three goals in the weekend series.

Bojeski recorded her second point of the day just 14 second later at 5:23 on a crafty maneuver in front of Nagel to broaden the Orange's advantage, 3-0. Freshmen Janelle Malcolm (Edmonton, Alberta) and Taylor Metcalfe (Oakville, Ontario) set up the play, applying heavy pressure on the Pioneers in the opening moments of the game. Metcalfe's assist denoted her first point for Syracuse.

Sophomore captain Julie Rising (Millbrae, Calif.) complemented her impressive weekend with a powerplay marker at 14:10 of the first period to keep SU ahead, 5-0, which proved to be the game-winner. Rising blasted the disc past Nagel for her team-leading fifth point in the two-day stretch.

Sacred Heart put its first tally on the board just 37 seconds into the second installment of play. Kate Dunlop found a way around Jones to cut into the Orange's advantage on assists from Gina Arnone and Lauren Fontaine.

Malcolm negated the Pioneers attack with her fourth goal of the season at 3:31 of the second. Rising and senior Rachel Tilford (Birch Hills, Saskatchewan) orchestrated the Orange tally for the 5-1 lead. Tilford, a former outfielder for the Syracuse softball squad the past four years, attained her first career assist. Last night, Tilford tallied SU's 10th goal late in the third period, her marker of the year.

At 15:44 of the second, Leone discovered the back of the cage with one of her patented slapshots at the top of the slot. Skelly doled out the puck to a wide open Leone for SU's sixth goal on the day. Mullan was awarded the assist on the play, as well.

Sacred Heart countered with two goals at 11:06 and 13:01 of the third stanza. Jaclyn Rideout fought in front of the net and nudged the puck past Lee on for SHU's second powerplay tally. Whitney Dziama added the Pioneers' third goal on a feed from Lauren Fontaine, reducing SU's lead to three goals, 6-3.

Leone lit the lamp for Syracuse one final time at the 16:08 mark. Leone accepted a pass from Marty at the top of the far side circle and discharged another missile past Nagel for the 7-3 victory. Mullan received her third helper on the play, marking an Orange season-high for assists in a single game.

The Orange have the impending weekend off, but will resume play against six-time CHA champion, Mercyhurst, on Friday, November 14 at 7:00 p.m. SU's next game will be played at the Onondaga County War Memorial in the heart of downtown Syracuse for the first time in history. The Onondaga County War Memorial has been the home of the American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch since 1994.