No. 5 Mercyhurst Upends Syracuse, 8-4

Friday, January 6

Syracuse, NY

7 p.m.

Syracuse University

8-13-1, 0-2-1CHA

#5 Mercyhurst

15-4-0, 1-0-0CHA

Team	1	2	3	F
Mercyhurst	4	2	2	8
Syracuse	2	1	1	4

Shiann Darkangelo netted her second goal of the season on Friday against Mercyhurst

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

1/6/2012 9:37:31 PM | Ice Hockey

Box Score

Box Score | Season Stats | Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Behind a hat trick from Kelley Steadman, No. 5 Mercyhurst skated past the Syracuse ice hockey team (8-13-1, 0-2-1 CHA) 8-4 on Friday night at Tennity Ice Pavilion. The Lakers (15-4-0, 1-0-0 CHA) held a 4-2 lead after the first period before continuing its offensive attack during the final 40 minutes. Shiann Darkangelo had a goal and an assist for the Orange, while Kallie Billadeau made 23 saves in relief of Jenesica Drinkwater (12 saves).

“The kids played very hard tonight,” head coach Paul Flanagan said. “Kallie (Billadeau) came on in relief and played well, and Julie Knerr filled in admirably on defense.”

Mercyhurst outshot the Orange 43-23 for the game, while SU held a 36-28 edge in faceoffs. The Mercyhurst power play, coming into the game at 33% efficiency, was 2-of-5 on the night while Syracuse went 1-of-6.

With the Lakers on a five-on-three skating advantage early in the first period, Christine Bestland buried a shot from in tight past Drinkwater on an assist from Jess Jones. The Orange would respond, however, as Darkangelo picked up her second goal of the season when she took a feed from Jessica Sorensen and rifled a shot past Mercyhurst goalkeeper Hillary Pattenden (19 saves) for the score.

The Lakers would answer midway through the frame as Lauren Jones let a wrist shot go from the slot that squeaked through the pads of Drinkwater for a 2-1 Mercyhurst lead. Not to be outdone, SU knotted the score once again as Margot Scharfe netted her seventh goal of the year on a wrister from the left side that beat Pattenden under the blocker.

Hailey Browne capitalized on a Syracuse turnover in its own defensive zone with less than six minutes left in the opening period when she was on the receiving end of a Jess Jones pass for an easy tap in. Mercyhurst would extend its lead to 4-2 with 2:06 left in the frame as Christie Cicero made a pass up to Steadman before heading the bench, and Steadman fired a shot past Drinkwater.

The Lakers continued to pressure in the second period as Browne collected her second goal of the night with a wrist shot past Billadeau, who replaced Drinkwater at the start of the frame.

Assistant captain Jacquie Greco brought the Orange back within two with 4:55 left in the frame and SU on the power play as she blasted a shot from the point that found its way through traffic and past Pattenden for Greco's first of the season.

Steadman would pick up a power play tally of her own less than two minutes later with a rocket from just inside the blue line that found the top right corner for a 6-3 Laker lead.

Co-captain Megan Skelly cut the deficit back down two in the third period with her fifth goal of the season 11 minutes into the third period as she cleaned up a mess in front of the Mercyhurst goal off an initial shot from Casey Hirsch.

Mercyhurst, which threw 17 shots on goal in the final frame, made it 7-4 with 6:40 left in regulation when Stephanie DeSutter netted her second goal of the year before Steadman completed the hat trick on an empty net goal with 1:51 left in the game.

The two teams will meet in the weekend finale tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m. from Tennity Ice Pavilion.