Freshman Lead Syracuse Past UNH 2-1

Saturday, October 8

Durham, NH

5 p.m.

Syracuse University

2-2-0

New Hampshire

3-1-0

Syracuse

New Hampshire

10/8/2011 7:04:40 PM | Ice Hockey

Box Score

Box Score | Season Stats

Freshmen Julie Knerr and Casey Hirsch scored their first collegiate goals to lead the Syracuse ice hockey team past New Hampshire (3-1-0) 2-1 on Saturday night at the Whittemore Center. Hirsch's game-winner came early in the third period, while sophomore goalkeeper Kallie Billadeau made 32 saves in goal. The Orange (2-2-0) will head back to Syracuse for the team's home opener next Friday against Clarkson at 7:00 p.m. from the Tennity Ice Pavilion.

UNH held a significant 33-14 shot advantage, including a 13-2 edge in the third period. The Wildcats were 1-of-3 on the power play while Syracuse was 0-of-4 on the man advantage.

The Wildcats outshot the Orange during the first period 9-3 as UNH consistently tested Billadeau throughout the frame. With SU in the penalty box six minutes into the stanza, the New Hampshire power play unit began collapsing on goal, and Kristine Horn fired a shot from the slot that was gloved down by Billadeau.

Syracuse took a 1-0 lead midway through the second period when senior co-captain Megan Skelly controlled the puck behind the net. Skelly skated out from behind the goal line and put a shot on goal that was stopped by UNH goaltender Jenn Gilligan, but Knerr was waiting for the rebound and buried it for her first collegiate goal.

New Hampshire answered back six minutes later when Nicole Gifford spotted Horn on the doorstep, and threaded a pass across the crease for a shot over the shoulder of Billadeau for the score. With 1:10 left in the frame, the Wildcats nearly took the lead as Arielle O'Neil rang a shot off the crossbar from in tight.

SU took a 2-1 advantage early in the third period as Hirsch was left alone in front of the net and was able to tipped a pass from Nicole Ferrara past Gilligan for her first career goal.

Minutes later, the Wildcats almost knotted the score at two when Billadeau came out of her crease to play the puck. Hannah Armstrong then settled the puck before sending a shot that was redirected into the corner off the skate of Brittney Krebs.

With Gilligan pulled in favor of the extra skater with less than one minute to play in the period, O'Neil took a pass at the left side of the night, but hit the post for the second game in the game for UNH's final scoring chance.